Saudi-led coalition strikes UAE weapons shipment in Yemen as regional tensions rise

The Saudi Arabia-led coalition has announced that it conducted airstrikes against a weapons shipment arriving at the Yemeni port of al-Mukalla from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This attack has heightened tensions between the two Gulf allies due to the ongoing war.

Two ships carrying weapons arrived at the port of al-Mukalla from the port of Fujairah on December 27 and 28. The vessels were dispatched to provide support to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group backed by the UAE. The coalition stated that the limited airstrikes were carried out after the two ships arrived without authorization.

Upon arriving in al-Mukalla, the ships deactivated their tracking systems and offloaded a significant quantity of weapons and combat vehicles to support the STC. The attack highlights the growing friction between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who are partners in the occupation of Yemen but support rival factions.

The Saudi strikes took place just weeks after the UAE-backed STC seized two strategic regions, including Hadhramaut, the largest province in Yemen. The group claimed its objective was to sever smuggling routes used by the Houthis.

In an effort to de-escalate tensions, Saudi Arabia announced last week that it had agreed to send a joint military delegation with the UAE to oversee the withdrawal of STC forces and restore the authority of the internationally recognized government. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently stated that Washington is concerned about these events and called for continued restraint and diplomacy.

The Yemeni resistance began launching attacks on maritime shipping in the Red Sea in 2023 to support Gaza against Israel. These attacks have decreased in recent months following the ceasefire in Gaza.

The STC and its affiliated organizations seek to re-establish the state of South Yemen, which unified with the rest of the country in 1990. On Tuesday, shortly after the Saudi-led coalition conducted the airstrikes on the southern port city of al-Mukalla, the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council requested that all UAE forces leave the country within 24 hours.

The coalition stated that the strike targeted foreign military support intended for the UAE-backed southern separatists. The Yemeni state news agency reported that the head of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, has canceled the defense agreement with the UAE and granted a 24-hour deadline for all Emirati forces to depart Yemen.

In a televised speech, Alimi accused the UAE of fueling internal conflict in Yemen. “Unfortunately, it has been definitively confirmed that the United Arab Emirates has directed the STC to escalate military tensions by applying pressure to undermine the authority of the state and incite rebellion,” he said.

Saudi Arabia had warned the main separatist group in the south against conducting military operations in the eastern Hadhramaut province and demanded the withdrawal of the group’s forces, which claimed to have seized a wide area of control in the south after years of stalemate.

The STC rejected Saudi Arabia’s call. UAE-backed forces control vast territories in the south, including the strategically significant Hadhramaut province. Alimi imposed a 72-hour flight ban and a sea and land blockade on all ports and crossings, with the exception of those approved by the coalition.

Hadhramaut, which borders Saudi Arabia, shares cultural and historical ties with the country, and many prominent Saudis trace their origins to this region. The coalition added, “We will continue to prevent any country from providing military support to any Yemeni group without coordination with the legitimate government.”