Saudi Arabia strikes UAE arms cargo in Yemen
Story by Mercy Adaje
Saudi Arabia has launched airstrikes on a weapons shipment allegedly sent by the United Arab Emirates to separatist forces in Yemen, sharply escalating tensions between the two Gulf allies.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the Saudi foreign ministry described the UAE-backed separatist advance in southern Yemen as a direct threat to the kingdom’s national security, warning that Riyadh would not hesitate to take decisive action.
“The steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous,” the statement said, stressing that “any threat to the Kingdom’s national security is a red line.”
The statement followed an announcement by the Saudi-led military coalition that it had targeted a shipment of arms and military vehicles unloaded at the port of Al-Mukalla. According to the coalition, the weapons were destined for forces linked to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group seeking to revive the former state of South Yemen.
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The coalition said the strike was a limited operation carried out in response to the risks posed by the weapons shipment. Footage from the port showed dozens of military vehicles and pickup trucks, some burned and smouldering as workers attempted to extinguish the fires.
In recent weeks, UAE-backed separatists have made rapid territorial gains in southern Yemen, developments analysts say have embarrassed Saudi Arabia, the main supporter of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
Following the airstrikes, Yemen’s presidential council declared a state of emergency and cancelled a security agreement with Abu Dhabi after STC forces seized large areas of territory. Although the STC is part of the Aden-based government, the coalition remains deeply divided, united mainly by its opposition to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control much of northern and western Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long-time allies in the fight against the Houthis, have increasingly clashed over Yemen and other regional conflicts, including the war in Sudan. Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of pressuring STC forces to carry out military operations near Saudi Arabia’s southern border, describing such actions as a threat to Yemen’s stability and regional security.
The UAE rejected the allegations, denying involvement in directing or pressuring any Yemeni faction to conduct operations that could endanger Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi said it condemned claims suggesting it had influenced the separatist advance.
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Despite the flare-up, a source close to the Saudi-led coalition told AFP that diplomatic efforts were ongoing and that a political solution remained possible.
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