Post by : Saif Rahman

Saudi Arabia has emphasized its stance on national security, declaring it a “red line” and demanding that UAE forces exit Yemen within 24 hours. This stern announcement follows a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on Yemen's Mukalla, signaling escalated tensions between these vital Gulf partners.

Rashad al-Alimi, the Saudi-supported leader of Yemen's presidential council, announced this withdrawal request while canceling a defense pact with the UAE. In a broadcast address, he accused the UAE of igniting discord and backing armed factions that undermine Yemen's authority.

Al-Alimi claimed the UAE influenced the Southern Transitional Council (STC), Yemen's main southern separatist faction, to heighten military action against government troops. Saudi Arabia verified this assertion and urged the UAE to adhere to the withdrawal demand. The UAE's foreign ministry has yet to respond to these allegations.

This escalation follows recent confrontations in southern Yemen, where the STC initiated military maneuvers in Abyan province. The clashes have brought the Saudi-backed government forces face to face with the UAE-supported separatists, a serious turn in a nation already ravaged by civil war for over a decade.

Saudi state media revealed that coalition aircraft executed a targeted strike against the Mukalla port following reports of two unapproved vessels arriving from the UAE's Fujairah port. The coalition alleged that these ships disabled their tracking systems, discharging weapons and vehicles for the STC.

Officials confirmed that no civilian casualties or damages occurred during the airstrike, which was reported to have focused on the dock where the cargo was unloaded. In response to this event, Yemeni authorities enacted a temporary no-fly zone along with sea and land blockades on several ports, allowing limited exceptions sanctioned by the coalition.

The UAE, pivotal in the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, reduced its military footprint in 2019 but continues to support allied factions in southern Yemen, including the STC.

The STC governs significant sections of southern Yemen, notably the strategically valuable Hadramout province, which shares historical and cultural connections with Saudi Arabia. Many influential Saudis have roots in this region, amplifying the sensitivity of developments there.

Previously, Saudi Arabia cautioned the STC against broadening its military actions and requested it to retract from parts of Hadramout. The STC dismissed this demand, further intensifying the ongoing crisis.

The Saudi-led coalition reiterated its intent to deny any external military assistance to Yemeni factions unless it received coordination approval from the internationally recognized government. As tensions mount, analysts warn that disputes among former allies could complicate the stabilization of Yemen and prolong its conflict.

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