Algeria severs ties with UAE as Houthi war widens
Algeria cuts diplomatic relations with the UAE over Western Sahara and Abraham Accords, as Houthis seize the Red Sea port of Mokha.
Algeria severs ties with UAE as Houthi war widens — Algeria announced the severance of diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, a rupture rooted in the Western Sahara dispute and Morocco's normalization with Israel under the Abraham Accords.[^1] The move reshuffles Arab diplomatic alignments at a moment when the Houthi war in Yemen is intensifying. The Houthi terrorist organization has made alarming progress after taking control of the city of Mokha on the Red Sea coast, according to reports.[^2] Iran's Revolutionary Guards provided direct guidance for the seizure of the port city, and the Houthis are exploiting the lack of international attention to solidify their grip on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.[^3] The US has deployed troops to Saudi Arabia amid the Houthi threat, per an Israel National News report.[^4] Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi said Wednesday that his country is prepared to contribute up to 2,000 soldiers to the International Stabilization Force, a 20,000-strong force the Board of Peace is building to help secure Gaza's borders.[^5] The offer presents a dilemma: the US may hold off on requesting troops because it could be seen as a nod of legitimacy to Somaliland, whose 1991 breakaway from Somalia is opposed by key Gaza mediating countries Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar. Japan lowered its travel advisory level for Israel on Thursday, September 10, 2026, from Level 3 to Level 2, following dialogue between Foreign Minister Sa'ar and his Japanese counterpart.[^6] The downgrade signals a modest improvement in the security assessment for travelers. What remains unresolved is whether Algeria's break with the UAE will trigger a wider Arab realignment, or remain an isolated diplomatic spat. The Houthi advance on Mokha suggests the Red Sea theater is far from contained. Degel HaTorah succession, defamation suits, and pre-Rosh Hashanah politics — A leadership transition in Degel HaTorah this week placed Yaakov Asher, 61, at the center of the political stage, replacing Moshe Gafni after 38 years at the helm.[^7] Asher largely marks the next generation of Lithuanian leadership, but the main challenge awaiting him is the issue of Haredi