Saudi Arabia has warned that its national security is a “red line”, following a targeted strike at Yemen’s Mukalla port, carried out by the Saudi-led coalition. The operation targeted weapons and vehicles that Saudi authorities said had been supplied by a foreign power to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists in southern Yemen.

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Details of the Coalition Strike

According to Saudi officials, the operation at Mukalla port involved:

• Targeting two ships that arrived without coalition authorization on consecutive days.
• The ships reportedly disabled their tracking systems and unloaded large quantities of weapons and combat vehicles.
• The strike focused on the dock area where the cargo had been unloaded.
• Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki confirmed there were no casualties or collateral damage, and the operation followed international humanitarian law.

The strike came after the coalition warned the STC against escalating military actions in Hadramout province.

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Yemen’s Presidential Council Responds

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council, demanded that all UAE forces leave Yemen within 24 hours, citing the weapons deliveries as a threat to national security.

Al-Alimi also:

• Cancelled the joint defense agreement with the UAE.
• Declared a 72-hour air, land, and sea blockade.
• Imposed a state of emergency for 90 days.

“Given the danger and escalation posed by these weapons, the coalition air forces carried out a limited military operation this morning targeting weapons and combat vehicles that had been unloaded from the two ships at the port of al-Mukalla,” reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

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Context: STC and UAE Relations

The Southern Transitional Council (STC) initially allied with the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in 2015. Over time, the group has sought self-rule in southern Yemen, with UAE support.

• The STC has controlled southern territories under a Saudi-backed power-sharing arrangement since 2022.
• Recent weeks have seen the STC expand control, expelling other government forces and their allies.
• Relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have become strained, as the UAE is accused of supporting the STC independently, bypassing Saudi authority.

Sultan Barakat, public policy professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, noted:

“Little by little, the UAE started undertaking independent foreign policy decisions in Yemen without going back to Saudi Arabia, strengthening the position of the southern separatists.”

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International Response

The strike and escalating tensions prompted reactions from global actors:

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for restraint and continued diplomacy to achieve a lasting solution.
• Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud urged STC forces to peacefully hand over two governorates to the government.

The situation underscores the complex and divided nature of Yemen’s conflict, with overlapping interests between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, local separatists, and the Houthi movement.

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Implications for Regional Stability

The Mukalla port strike reflects ongoing challenges in southern Yemen:

• Rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE over influence in the south.
• STC expansion threatening Saudi-backed government authority.
• Increased risk of escalation in Hadramout and surrounding regions.

Analysts warn that unless the parties resume coordinated security measures, southern Yemen may experience further clashes and humanitarian challenges.