AQAP’s New Playbook: Terror, Tech, and Gaza

As U.S. focus drifts from Yemen, al-Awlaki’s first full video as AQAP emir calls for attacks on Jewish communities, the assassination of U.S. officials and Elon Musk, and a global uprising for Gaza

As the National Security and Foreign Policy Community in Washington Loses Interest in Yemen, This Is Another Stark Reminder of Why Yemen Still Matters

Title: Incite the Believers

New AQAP Leader Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki Releases First Full Video, Calls for Global Jihad in Response to Gaza War

Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the emir of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), has released a 32-minute video, his first full appearance since assuming leadership. He is not a direct relative of the infamous Yemeni-American preacher Anwar al-Awlaki—who joined AQAP, served as its external operations commander, and was killed in a drone strike on September 30, 2011, in Al Jawf—but both belong to the powerful Awalik tribe in Shabwah.

In the posted video on 05 June 2025, Awlaki delivers a sweeping call to global jihad in response to Israel’s war in Gaza, accusing both Israel and the United States of crimes against humanity and urging Muslims across the world to take violent action.

The video marks a significant escalation in AQAP’s messaging, blending regional grievances with global incitement. It features graphic footage of destruction and casualties in Gaza and cites historical Al-Qaeda figures to emphasize what al-Awlaki calls a “continuing 30-year war” against the United States. “Forget the shortcomings of the past,” he declares. “Now is the time to act.”

The production includes multiple camera angles and audio sources. Behind al-Awlaki is the black flag of Ansar al-Sharia, AQAP’s local alias in Yemen since 2012.

Key Messages and Calls to Action

Al-Awlaki outlines a multi-pronged strategy aimed at igniting unrest, sabotage, and jihadist violence across the Arab world, the West, and online platforms: