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Separatists in southern Yemen have accused Saudi Arabia of launching airstrikes against their forces in Hadramout governorate, escalating tensions in the complex multi-front conflict that has devastated the country for a decade.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which receives backing from the United Arab Emirates, reported the strikes occurred Friday, just one day after Saudi Arabia had issued warnings demanding the separatist forces withdraw from recently captured territories. Saudi officials have not publicly acknowledged conducting the airstrikes.
“Our fighters had been operating in eastern Hadramout after facing multiple ambushes from gunmen,” said Amr Al Bidh, a foreign affairs special representative for the Council, in a statement to The Associated Press. He reported that prior attacks had killed two STC fighters and wounded 12 others before the Saudi airstrikes commenced.
The Council later characterized their operations in Hadramout as attempts to apprehend a wanted individual and disrupt smuggling networks in the region. Local witnesses reported seeing destroyed military vehicles believed to belong to STC-allied forces following the strikes.
Faez bin Omar, a prominent tribal coalition leader in Hadramout, suggested the strikes likely served as a warning to pressure the STC into withdrawing its fighters. The Council’s satellite channel aired mobile phone footage purportedly showing the aftermath of the strikes, with voices attributing the attack to Saudi aircraft.
The incident highlights the increasingly fractured nature of Yemen’s protracted conflict. Earlier this month, the STC moved into Yemen’s governorates of Hadramout and Mahra, displacing forces affiliated with the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces – another faction within the broader coalition originally formed to combat Houthi rebels in the country’s north.
STC-aligned groups have increasingly displayed the flag of South Yemen, which existed as a separate country from 1967 until unification with North Yemen in 1990. On Thursday, demonstrators rallied in the southern port city of Aden supporting renewed secession.
The deteriorating situation threatens the already fragile Saudi-led coalition that has been battling Iran-backed Houthi rebels for a decade. It also reveals deepening tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which despite maintaining close diplomatic and economic relations as OPEC members, have increasingly competed for regional influence in recent years.
In an apparent attempt to downplay the friction, the UAE issued a statement Friday saying it “welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support security and stability” in Yemen, reaffirming its “steadfast commitment to supporting all endeavors aimed at strengthening stability and development.”
Yemen’s multi-layered conflict began when Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa in September 2014, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition, armed with U.S. weaponry and intelligence, entered the war in March 2015.
The ensuing decade of fighting has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing more than 150,000 people and pushing the Arab world’s poorest nation to the brink of famine. Tens of thousands more have died from hunger and disease exacerbated by the conflict.
Complicating matters further, Houthi rebels have launched attacks on hundreds of ships in the Red Sea corridor in recent months, ostensibly in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. These attacks have severely disrupted global shipping through one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.
Increased instability in Yemen could potentially draw the United States deeper into the conflict. Washington conducted an intensive bombing campaign targeting Houthi positions earlier this year, which former President Trump suspended just before his trip to the Middle East in October. The Biden administration has also carried out strikes against Houthi targets, including using sophisticated B-2 stealth bombers against what it described as underground bunkers used by the rebels.
The latest developments in Yemen coincide with escalating violence in neighboring Sudan, another Red Sea nation where Saudi Arabia and the UAE support opposing forces in that country’s ongoing civil war, suggesting a broader pattern of regional proxy conflicts.
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10 Comments
The airstrikes by Saudi Arabia are a concerning escalation. While the STC’s actions may have provoked the response, the Saudis need to exercise restraint to avoid further destabilizing the region and disrupting vital economic activities.
Agreed. All parties involved should prioritize deescalation and a diplomatic resolution to this conflict, for the sake of Yemen’s long-term recovery and development.
I’m curious to learn more about the specific motivations and goals of the STC in this latest offensive. Are they trying to consolidate control over strategic economic assets and trade routes? Or is this part of a larger political and territorial dispute?
It’s deeply troubling to see the conflict in Yemen continue to escalate, especially given the potential impacts on critical industries like mining and energy. I hope the international community can broker a sustainable ceasefire and political settlement to end this devastating war.
Absolutely. A lasting peace agreement is essential for Yemen to rebuild its economy and infrastructure, which will benefit the mining, metals, and energy sectors in the long run.
This clash highlights the ongoing volatility in Yemen and the potential for disruptions to the country’s mining, energy, and trade sectors. Careful monitoring of the situation will be crucial for companies and investors with exposure to the region.
This is an intriguing development in the complex Yemeni conflict. It will be important to monitor how the STC and Saudi Arabia respond going forward, as their actions could significantly impact the region’s stability and mining/energy operations.
Agreed. The Saudis need to tread carefully to avoid further escalation and disruption to Yemen’s economy and critical infrastructure.
The separatist forces’ moves in Hadramout are concerning, as they could disrupt important smuggling and supply routes for Yemen’s mining and energy sectors. I hope the parties can deescalate tensions through diplomacy rather than force.
Absolutely. Any further disruption to Yemen’s fragile economy and export capabilities would be devastating, especially for the mining and energy industries that are crucial to the country’s development.