Saudi warplanes strike Mukalla port as Saudi-UAE alliance strains

GAROWE, Somalia — Warplanes from the Saudi-led coalition carried out airstrikes on the port of Mukalla in southeastern Yemen, following allegations that weapons unloaded there were destined for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, according to officials and international media reports.

The strikes came after the coalition urged civilians to evacuate areas around Mukalla port, amid warnings that the facility could become a new flashpoint in Yemen’s widening conflict. Saudi officials have accused the Southern Transitional Council of taking actions that threaten Yemen’s stability and violate joint security arrangements.

The escalation reflects growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, longtime allies who now back rival factions in Yemen. The STC, which seeks autonomy or independence for southern Yemen, controls key areas of the country’s south with Emirati support.

Separately, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council announced emergency security measures, including the temporary closure of ports, airports and land crossings for 72 hours, as well as a nationwide state of emergency lasting 90 days, according to a statement from the council.

Officials familiar with the matter said the steps reflect concerns that fighting between the internationally recognized Yemeni government and the STC could escalate into broader conflict. However, there has been no independent confirmation from major international agencies of reports circulating on social media that Yemen has formally voided defense agreements with the UAE or ordered Emirati forces to withdraw.

Yemen has been mired in war since 2014, when Iran-aligned Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention the following year. The conflict has since fractured further, drawing in multiple armed groups and contributing to what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

The Saudi-led coalition said it would continue taking measures it deems necessary to safeguard security in Yemen, while the international community has urged restraint and renewed political dialogue to prevent further escalation.

GAROWE ONLINE