Saudi strikes Mukalla over UAE-backed arms to Yemeni separatists

Saudi Arabia carried out a limited airstrike overnight on Yemen’s port city of Mukalla, saying the operation targeted a shipment of weapons for a separatist force reportedly backed by the United Arab Emirates. Riyadh’s statement described the ships as arriving from Fujairah on the UAE’s eastern coast and unloading a large cache of weapons and combat vehicles for the Southern Transitional Council. The coalition said the strikes were aimed at an imminent threat while taking care to minimize collateral damage. There were no immediate details on casualties or on whether other forces participated in the operation.

The UAE did not respond publicly right away. The Southern Transitional Council, which receives Emirati backing, acknowledged reports of strikes near its positions via a satellite news channel but offered no further specifics. Analysts noted the timing could worsen strains between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, who have backed competing sides at different points in Yemen’s decade-long war against the Houthis, complicating an already fragile regional balance.

Mukalla, a southern Yemeni port city, has repeatedly featured in the conflict as Gulf powers recalibrate alliances and strategies in the Red Sea region. The incident underscores how arms shipments and military support continue to shape the conflict, even as diplomatic efforts persist in other tracks. Tracking data from maritime intelligence sources had pointed to a vessel identified as the Greenland, a roll-on/roll-off flagged in St Kitts, reportedly connected to the ships involved and traced to Fujairah before arriving at Mukalla.

Observers say the strike could signal a broader pattern of Gulf powers leveraging force to protect perceived interests on the ground, which may complicate any ongoing or future negotiations aimed at de-escalating Yemen’s war and stabilizing the region.

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