Saudi UAE Yemen Conflict 2025: Airstrike on Mukalla Port Fractures Alliance
The Saudi UAE Yemen conflict 2025 reaches a peak as Saudi Arabia strikes Mukalla port to block weapons for the UAE-backed STC. Analysis of the coalition rift.
They're shaking hands but holding fists. A Saudi Arabia airstrike on Mukalla port has exposed the deep-seated friction within the Arab coalition. According to Reuters, this military move marks a critical turning point in the proxy war between two Gulf neighbors, threatening the fragile stability of Yemen.
Escalation of Saudi UAE Yemen Conflict 2025
Coalition spokesman Major-General Turki al-Maliki confirmed that on December 31, 2025, Saudi forces targeted two ships entering Mukalla port. These vessels were reportedly carrying more than 80 vehicles and containers of weapons destined for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), an UAE-backed separatist group, without prior notification to the Saudi command.
The STC has been pushing for an independent South Yemen, a state that existed between 1967 and 1990. Their recent expansion into the resource-rich Hadramout governorate crossed a red line for Riyadh, which views the move as a direct threat to its border security and national interests.
A Divided Presidential Leadership Council (PLC)
The political fallout is equally devastating. The PLC, Yemen's internationally recognized governing body, is now split into two warring camps. One faction, led by President Rashad al-Alimi, has demanded that the UAE withdraw its forces. The opposing camp, headed by Aidarus al-Zoubaidi of the STC, remains staunchly loyal to Emirati interests.
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