Saudi Arabia Strikes Yemen's Mukalla Amid Rising Tensions with UAE-Backed Forces
Escalation in Yemen's Conflict
Dubai: On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Mukalla, targeting what it claimed was a shipment of arms intended for a separatist faction supported by the United Arab Emirates. The UAE has yet to comment on the attack.
This military action marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the UAE. The incident further complicates the already strained relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, both of which have been backing rival factions in Yemen's protracted war against the Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels.
In response to the airstrikes, Yemen's anti-Houthi forces declared a state of emergency, imposing a 72-hour ban on all border crossings and restricting access to airports and seaports, except for those authorized by Saudi Arabia.
A military statement from the Saudi Press Agency indicated that the strikes were conducted after ships arrived from Fujairah, a port city in the UAE. The statement claimed that the vessels had disabled tracking devices and unloaded a significant quantity of weapons and military vehicles to support the STC.
The Saudi military emphasized that the airstrike was executed overnight to minimize any potential collateral damage, although it remains unclear if there were any casualties or if other military forces participated in the operation.
The attack likely targeted a vessel identified as the Greenland, a roll-on, roll-off ship registered in St. Kitts. Tracking data revealed that this ship had been in Fujairah on December 22 and reached Mukalla on Sunday. The identity of a second vessel involved remains unknown.
Yemen expert Mohammed al-Basha noted that social media footage appeared to show new armored vehicles arriving in Mukalla following the ship's docking. He speculated that both sides might escalate their actions, with the UAE-backed STC likely consolidating its control while facing restrictions on arms supplies due to Saudi airspace control.
Saudi state television later aired footage, allegedly from a surveillance aircraft, showing armored vehicles moving through Mukalla, corroborating the social media reports.
Mukalla, located in Yemen's Hadramout governorate, has recently been captured by the STC. This port city lies approximately 480 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of Aden, which has been the stronghold for anti-Houthi forces since the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
The recent airstrikes in Mukalla follow previous Saudi attacks on the STC, which were interpreted as warnings for the separatists to cease their advances in Hadramout and Mahra.
The STC has increasingly adopted the flag of South Yemen, which existed as an independent nation from 1967 to 1990. Protests have erupted in support of political movements advocating for South Yemen's secession.
The actions of the separatists have strained the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which are OPEC members but have been competing for influence and business opportunities in recent years.
Additionally, violence has surged in Sudan, another Red Sea nation where Saudi Arabia and the UAE support opposing factions in the ongoing conflict.
In a related development, Israel has recognized Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, as an independent state, the first such acknowledgment in over three decades. This has raised alarms among the Houthis, who have threatened to retaliate against any Israeli presence in Somaliland.