The leader of al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch has issued threats against US President Donald Trump and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, citing American support for Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki delivered the message in a 30-minute video distributed online Saturday by supporters of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). “There are no red lines after what happened and is happening to our people in Gaza,” al-Awlaki stated. “Reciprocity is legitimate.”
The video included images of Trump, Musk, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, along with logos from Musk’s companies, including Tesla. Al-Awlaki also called for lone wolf attacks against leaders in Egypt, Jordan, and Gulf Arab states regarding the Gaza conflict, which has resulted in at least 54,772 Palestinian deaths over 20 months.
AQAP emerged in 2009 from a merger between al-Qaeda’s Yemeni and Saudi factions. The group operates independently from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who control most of the country and recently agreed to a ceasefire with the United States.
The organization developed amid Yemen’s ongoing conflict, which has seen Houthis fighting a Saudi-led coalition supporting the government since 2015. Al-Awlaki assumed leadership in 2024 following the death of his predecessor, Khalid Batarfi.
The US has placed a $6 million bounty on al-Awlaki for “publicly calling for attacks against the United States and its allies.” Despite suspected weakening from internal conflicts and US drone strikes targeting its leadership, AQAP was considered al-Qaeda’s most dangerous active branch following Osama bin Laden’s 2011 death.
UN experts estimate AQAP maintains 3,000 to 4,000 active fighters and passive members. The group reportedly funds operations through bank robberies, money exchange thefts, weapons smuggling, currency counterfeiting, and ransom activities.
While Houthis have denied collaboration with AQAP, the latter has reduced attacks on Houthi forces in recent years while continuing to target Saudi-led coalition troops.
AQAP’s focus on Gaza appears to follow the Houthi approach, which has involved missile attacks on Israel and targeting Red Sea commercial vessels in solidarity with Palestinians.
“As the Houthis gain popularity as leaders of the ‘Arab and Muslim world’s resistance’ against Israel, al-Awlaki seeks to challenge their dominance by presenting himself as equally concerned about the situation in Gaza,” explained Mohammed al-Basha, Yemen expert with the Basha Report risk advisory firm.
“For a national security and foreign policy community increasingly disengaged from Yemen, this video is a clear reminder: Yemen still matters,” al-Basha added.
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