Saudi Arabia on Tuesday emphasized that its national security is a “red line” and supported a call for UAE Forces to withdraw from Yemen within 24 hours. The demand came shortly after a Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on Mukalla, a southern Yemeni port.
The airstrike targeted what the coalition described as foreign military support for UAE-backed southern separatists. Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council, set the withdrawal deadline and canceled a defense pact with the UAE. He accused the Emirates of backing the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to undermine the Yemeni government.
“Unfortunately, it has been definitively confirmed that the UAE pressured and directed the STC to rebel against the state through military escalation,” Alimi said. Saudi Arabia urged the UAE to comply with the demand. The UAE foreign ministry has not yet responded publicly.
The UAE has been part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-aligned Houthis since 2015. The country began withdrawing troops in 2019 but remained committed to supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The STC, seeking self-rule in the south, recently launched an offensive against Saudi-backed government forces, claiming broad control of southern territories.
Saudi Arabia warned the STC against military moves in Hadramout, a key eastern province bordering Saudi Arabia. The STC ignored these warnings. The recent airstrike in Mukalla followed the arrival of two UAE ships from Fujairah. The vessels reportedly disabled tracking systems and unloaded weapons and vehicles to support the STC. The coalition confirmed that the strike caused no casualties or collateral damage.
Footage broadcast on Yemen state TV showed black smoke rising from the port, with burned vehicles visible at the site. Meanwhile, Yemeni authorities imposed a 72-hour no-fly zone, sea, and land blockade on ports and crossings, allowing exemptions only through coalition authorization.
UAE-backed forces currently control significant southern regions, including Hadramout. Saudi officials stressed that any military support to Yemeni factions must be coordinated with the legitimate government. The coalition said it will continue to prevent unauthorized assistance to any group, reaffirming the UAE’s involvement in the recent escalation as a key concern.
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The situation underscores ongoing tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE Forces in Yemen, highlighting complex alliances in the conflict. Analysts warn that stability in southern Yemen remains fragile as the STC consolidates power and international coordination continues.
