The chairman of the Council of Presidential Leaders of Yemen, Rashad Mohammed al-Alimi, appointed Foreign Minister Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani as the new prime minister, Yemeni news agency SABA reported.
“Dr. Shaya Mohsen al-Zindani has been appointed as chairman of the Council of Ministers and tasked with forming a government“, the decree said. According to the document, the current cabinet will continue to perform its functions until the formation of a new government.
On January 15, the head of the Council of Presidential Leaders of Yemen accepted the resignation of Salem Saleh bin Brake. The statement noted that the decision was made to "pave the way for the formation of a new government in accordance with the recent changes in the country." In another decree, al-Alimi appointed him as his advisor on financial and economic matters.
The change of government in Yemen was preceded by an escalation of tensions in the southern and eastern regions of the republic. In early December 2025, the forces of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council established control over the provinces of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra.
In response, the Yemeni authorities canceled the joint defense agreement with the UAE and requested military assistance from the Saudi-led coalition. In January, part of the leadership of the transitional council, who arrived in Riyadh for negotiations, announced the dissolution of the organization.
Supporters of separatist leader Aydar al-Zubaidi, whom the Saudi-led coalition claims has fled to the UAE, rejected the decision to dissolve the council.
On January 11, Yemeni authorities announced that government forces had regained control of the southern and eastern provinces, including the temporary capital Aden.