Saudi warplanes launched airstrikes Friday against UAE-backed separatist forces in southern Yemen, marking a sharp escalation in the rivalry between the two Gulf allies.
The strikes targeted camps belonging to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the oil-rich Hadramout governorate. Separatist officials reported seven fatalities at the Al-Khasha camp and several other injuries.
The Saudi-led coalition is attempting to reclaim military sites seized by the STC last month in Hadramout and Mahra—territories that border Saudi Arabia and are considered vital to the Kingdom’s security.
"Saudi Arabia knowingly misled the international community by announcing a 'peaceful operation' that they never intended to keep peaceful," said Amr al-Bidh, a senior STC official. "They launched seven airstrikes just minutes later."
A Breakdown in Diplomacy The military action followed a total collapse in diplomatic efforts. Saudi Ambassador Mohammed al-Jaber accused STC leader Aidarus al-Zubaidi of "intransigence" and claimed the group physically blocked a Saudi mediation plane from landing in Aden.
In response to the tension, the STC-controlled Transport Ministry suspended all flights to and from the UAE after Saudi Arabia mandated that all planes using Aden International Airport first stop in Jeddah for security inspections.
Diverging Interests While Saudi Arabia and the UAE both officially support Yemen’s internationally recognized government against Houthi rebels, their local interests have diverged: Saudi Arabia seeks a unified Yemen and a stable southern border.
The UAE supports the STC’s goal of re-establishing South Yemen as an independent state, a status it held from 1967 to 1990.
Brig. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, stated that Saudi naval forces have also been deployed in the Arabian Sea to combat smuggling and ensure regional stability.
