A Saudi-led coalition conducted airstrikes on Tuesday targeting a significant cache of weapons and combat vehicles intended for separatist forces being offloaded at a Yemeni port. The equipment originated from the United Arab Emirates and was linked to the controversial Southern Transitional Council (STC), which has been engaged in a violent struggle for control over territories in Yemen.
The ongoing civil war has seen various armed factions aligned with the Yemeni government, and backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, conflicting with one another. In recent weeks, the UAE-backed STC has asserted dominance over large areas, displacing government forces and escalating tensions in the region.
On Saturday, the Saudi-led coalition reiterated its commitment to support the Yemeni government in any military conflict with the separatist forces, urging them to withdraw peacefully from territories they have recently occupied. An official at the Yemeni port of al-Mukalla revealed that an evacuation order was issued shortly before the airstrike, which struck an area of the port, causing significant fire.
The coalition’s airstrikes targeted two vessels that had delivered an extensive haul of arms and military vehicles aimed at reinforcing the STC. The Saudi state news agency reported that the operation was conducted strictly in compliance with international humanitarian law and claimed there were no collateral damages.
Aerial footage depicted numerous vehicles at the port following the attack. This escalation coincided with earlier Saudi airstrikes on STC positions in Hadramawt province and heightened calls for restraint from the United States. Secretary of State Marco Rubio advocated for diplomatic efforts to achieve a sustainable resolution to the conflict.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman emphasized that separatist troops should hand over two specific regions back to the government in a peaceful manner. He called for reasoning to prevail at a “sensitive moment” in the ongoing crisis.
Despite threats of further military action from Saudi Arabia, the STC remained defiant. Following the strikes, STC leaders and their supporters have intensified calls for full independence from Yemen, with large demonstrative gatherings taking place, notably in the city of Aden, where supporters brandished flags symbolizing their separatist aspirations.
Military sources indicated that approximately 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were positioned near the Saudi border, poised but not yet authorized to engage in conflict against STC-controlled territories. The complexity of the Yemeni government, comprised of a conglomerate of factions—united mostly by their opposition to the Iran-aligned Houthi movement—adds to the challenges of achieving stability in a region torn by conflict since the Houthis seized control of the capital Sanaa in 2014.
