Saudi Airstrikes Target Yemen's Mukalla Amid Tensions with UAE

Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on Yemen's port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, asserting that the attacks were in response to a shipment of weapons for separatist forces arriving from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The kingdom described the situation as a significant threat to its national security and issued warnings regarding Emirati activities in the region.

The airstrikes followed the arrival of two vessels from the UAE’s Fujairah port, which Saudi authorities claimed had unloaded a substantial amount of arms and armoured vehicles intended for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group seeking autonomy in southern Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition expressed deep concern over the implications of these shipments, labelling them an imminent danger that could disrupt peace and stability in the area.

Tensions have been escalating between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two nations that were once allies in the fight against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen. The situation has grown more complex as the STC, backed by the UAE, has been gaining territory, leading to a split in the coalition that has been fighting the Houthis since 2015.

In a statement from the Saudi Press Agency, the military confirmed the strikes aimed at preventing further military escalation by the STC. "The crews had disabled tracking devices aboard the vessels and unloaded a large amount of weapons and combat vehicles in support of the Southern Transitional Council’s forces," the statement noted, highlighting the urgency of the airstrikes.

The Emirati government responded to the Saudi accusations by denying any wrongdoing. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry stated that the vehicles sent were for its own forces operating in Yemen and called for restraint amid the escalating confrontation. However, later in the day, the UAE announced it would withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen, a move that reflects the shifting dynamics within the coalition.

The situation in Mukalla is critical, as it sits within Yemen’s Hadramout governorate, a region that has recently been seized by STC forces. The port city, located approximately 480 kilometres northeast of Aden, has become a focal point of conflict where various military factions vie for control amid a backdrop of humanitarian crises.

Experts have raised concerns about the potential for a new front in Yemen's long-standing conflict, where anti-Houthi forces may begin to clash among themselves while the Houthis remain entrenched in northern regions, including the capital, Sanaa. Mohammed al-Basha, a Yemen analyst, stated, “I expect a calibrated escalation from both sides. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council is likely to respond by consolidating control.”

In light of the unfolding events, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which is internationally recognised, has called for the withdrawal of Emirati forces and declared a state of emergency. The council’s head, Rashad al-Alimi, accused the UAE of exacerbating tensions by supporting the STC’s military operations, which undermine the authority of the state.

The ongoing conflict in Yemen has resulted in over 150,000 casualties and has created one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises. With strategic regions now contested between rival factions, the risk of further instability and violence looms large, complicating any prospects for peace in the war-torn nation.

As the situation develops, the international community is urged to monitor the humanitarian implications of ongoing military actions, particularly in key areas such as Mukalla, which are crucial for the delivery of aid and services to the Yemeni population suffering from years of conflict and deprivation.