Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen port over alleged arms shipment, warns UAE

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday carried out airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Mukalla following reports that a weapons shipment from the United Arab Emirates had arrived for separatist forces operating in the country.

Riyadh described the alleged Emirati actions as “extremely dangerous,” as tensions escalated over the activities of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group backed by the UAE.

The bombing came after days of strain triggered by the STC’s advances on the ground. While Saudi Arabia and some of its allies demanded that Emirati forces withdraw from Yemen within 24 hours, the STC and its partners issued a statement backing the UAE’s continued presence.

In response, the UAE called for “restraint and wisdom,” disputing Saudi Arabia’s claims but stopping short of announcing any withdrawal from Yemen.

The standoff has raised fears of a new front in Yemen’s decade-long conflict, with factions previously aligned against the Houthis potentially turning against one another. It has also further strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, regional allies whose rivalry has grown over economic interests and influence, particularly around the Red Sea corridor.

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