In a significant escalation of conflict, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, targeting what it claimed was a shipment of weaponry intended for a separatist group in the region, which had reportedly come from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This military action has not yet elicited a response from the UAE.
The bombing indicates rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist faction that receives support from the Emirates. Moreover, this incident further complicates the already strained relationship between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, as both nations have been backing rival factions in Yemen’s protracted civil war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
According to a statement released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the airstrikes were conducted following the arrival of ships from Fujairah, a coastal city located in the UAE. The military emphasized that the operation was limited in scope, aimed at neutralizing weapons and combat vehicles that posed a threat to regional security and stability. "Due to the peril these arms represent, the Coalition Air Forces executed a targeted military operation this morning aimed at the weapons and vehicles recently unloaded from two vessels at the port," the statement read.
As of now, the exact number of casualties resulting from the strike remains unclear, although the Saudi military assured that the attack was carried out overnight to minimize potential collateral damage.
Interestingly, analysts suggest that one of the vessels targeted might be the Greenland, a roll-on, roll-off ship registered in St. Kitts. Tracking information reviewed by the Associated Press indicates that this ship was docked in Fujairah on December 22 before arriving in Mukalla on Sunday.
Yemen expert Mohammed al-Basha, who is also the founder of the Basha Report—a risk advisory firm—pointed to social media footage that apparently shows newly delivered armored vehicles making their way through Mukalla shortly after the ship's docking. Efforts to contact the ship’s owners, based in Dubai, were unsuccessful.
Mukalla is situated in the Hadramout governorate of Yemen, an area recently captured by the Southern Transitional Council. The port city lies approximately 480 kilometers (about 300 miles) northeast of Aden, which has served as the operational center for the anti-Houthi forces since the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, back in 2014.
This recent military strike follows earlier airstrikes by Saudi Arabia against the Council that occurred on Friday, which analysts interpreted as a warning to the separatists to cease their territorial advancements into the Hadramout and Mahra provinces.
The Southern Transitional Council has successfully expelled forces affiliated with the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces from these regions, intensifying the ongoing struggle for control. Supporters of the Council have increasingly showcased the flag of South Yemen, a territory that existed as an independent nation from 1967 until its unification with North Yemen in 1990. Numerous demonstrations have taken place recently, advocating for political movements that seek to reinstate South Yemen's independence.
The separatists' actions are placing increasing strain on the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two nations that usually maintain close ties and are both part of the OPEC oil cartel, yet have been vying for influence and international business opportunities in recent years.
Furthermore, violence has surged in Sudan, another country bordering the Red Sea, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to support opposing factions amid the ongoing conflict. This situation underscores the complexities and interconnections of geopolitical interests in the region.
