Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman Al-Muharrami,
seen on screen, holds a video meeting from Riyadh with the leadership
of the Second Infantry and Support Axis, August 30, 2026.
(Southern Forces Media)
South24 Center (Aden)
Presidential Leadership Council member Abdulrahman Al-Muharrami held two consecutive video meetings from his residence in Riyadh with the leaderships of two military axes established four months ago as part of a reorganization of the Southern Forces.
The meetings, held on Saturday and Sunday (August 29–30), came amid heightened alert across several southern fronts following weeks of Houthi missile and drone attacks on military positions, cities, and coastal facilities in Yemen.
A statement issued by the Southern Forces said Al-Muharrami met on Sunday with the leadership of the Second Infantry and Support Axis, which is deployed in Lahj, headed by Brigadier General Ali Hassan Al-Jahouri. Southern Joint Operations Commander Major General Saleh Ali Hassan also attended the meeting.
The statement said the meeting reviewed developments on the Al-Musaymir, Karsh, and Haifan fronts, operations to secure the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, Houthi movements along the contact lines, and the readiness of units under the axis.
Al-Muharrami called for heightened readiness, stronger coordination between units, and improved field surveillance. He also directed the leadership to focus on training, operational discipline, and providing the forces with essential requirements, according to the statement.
A day earlier, Al-Muharrami held a similar meeting with the leadership of the Third Infantry and Support Axis in Al-Dhalea, headed by Brigadier General Ibrahim Al-Tafawzi and attended by the same joint operations commander.
The meeting discussed Houthi movements and reinforcements along the contact lines in Al-Dhalea, as well as the forces’ readiness and their defensive and operational requirements.
The statement said Al-Muharrami instructed the units to maintain their positions and prepare for any possible escalation.
The Second and Third Axes are among three operational commands established by the Southern Joint Operations Authority in April.
A military document titled “Operations Order No. 7”, dated April 16 and published by local media six days later, showed that the new arrangements redistributed existing Southern Forces units across three Infantry and Support Axes.
The Second Axis, commanded by Al-Jahouri, covers Radfan, Al-Anad, Karsh, Al-Musaymir, Tur Al-Baha, Haifan, and Bab Al-Mandab. Its headquarters is located at Al-Ribat Camp in Lahj.
The Third Axis oversees units deployed in Al-Dhalea and Murais, among the most active contact lines with the Houthis. Its headquarters is located in the former Central Security building in Al-Dhalea city.
The First Axis covers units deployed across Abyan, Yafa, and Shabwa. It is commanded by Brigadier General Abdulbasit Al-Amiri from its headquarters at Al-Matlaa Camp in Abyan.
Statements on the two meetings described Al-Muharrami as “Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Armed Forces”, although no official decision appointing him to that position has been publicly announced.
In August 2024, Southern Transitional Council President and Supreme Commander of the Southern Armed Forces Aidarous Al-Zubaidi issued a decision assigning Al-Muharrami responsibility for the security and counterterrorism portfolio, including oversight and restructuring of the security forces.
The broader title began appearing publicly in statements issued by military bodies linked to Al-Muharrami in February, coinciding with directives and appointments he issued concerning southern military and security units amid Al-Zubaidi’s absence.
Al-Muharrami has been based in Riyadh since early January, where he has participated in PLC meetings and southern political consultations. No date has yet been announced for his return to Aden.