Saudi-backed offensive Yemen 2026: Government Forces Retake Mukalla and Al-Mahra
Saudi-backed forces retake Mukalla and Al-Mahra in the major Saudi-backed offensive Yemen 2026. 80 fighters killed as tensions rise between Saudi and UAE proxies.
Allies on paper, rivals on the ground. Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops have launched a massive counter-offensive, retaking vital provinces from the Southern Transitional Council (STC)—a group supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On January 4, 2026, the internationally recognized government announced it has successfully reclaimed the strategic port city of Mukalla.
Success of Saudi-backed offensive Yemen 2026
Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the Homeland Shield forces achieved 'record success.' The operation, which kicked off just days ago, focused on securing military and security positions in provinces bordering Saudi Arabia. The fall of Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout province, marks a significant blow to the UAE-backed secessionists who had seized the area last month.
Local officials told the Anadolu news agency that government forces now control all nine districts of the al-Mahra governorate. This comes after an unprecedented escalation in early December, when STC forces took over nearly half of Yemen’s territory. According to Al Jazeera’s Yemen affairs editor, Ahmed al-Shalafi, the direct military intervention marks a major shift in the political landscape, prioritizing ground-level control before moving to diplomatic negotiations.
Casualties and Political Fallout in Southern Yemen
The cost of the offensive has been steep. At least 80 STC fighters have been killed in the latest clashes, an official told AFP. Another 152 members were wounded, while 130 were taken captive. Saudi warplanes reportedly conducted intense air raids on STC camps in Barshid to facilitate the ground advance.
Despite the heavy fighting, the STC has signaled a willingness to talk, calling a Saudi offer for dialogue a 'genuine opportunity.' However, friction remains high in Aden, where the government has accused the STC of imposing illegal movement restrictions on citizens, a move they call a 'grave violation' of the Riyadh Agreement.
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