The Saudi-led coalition announced the operation via the state-run Saudi Press Agency, stating that two vessels had arrived unauthorized from Fujairah, a port in the United Arab Emirates, unloading armored vehicles and weapons for the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The STC, a separatist group seeking greater autonomy or independence for southern Yemen, has recently seized control of key areas in Hadramout governorate, including Mukalla.
“Given the danger and escalation posed by these weapons, which threaten security and stability, the Coalition Air Forces conducted a limited military operation this morning targeting weapons and combat vehicles unloaded from the two ships at the port of al-Mukalla,” the statement read. Saudi officials emphasized the strike was carried out overnight to avoid collateral damage, with no reported casualties.
Analysts identified one vessel as the Greenland, a roll-on/roll-off ship that tracking data showed departed Fujairah on December 22 and docked in Mukalla on Sunday. Social media footage circulated showing new armored vehicles moving through the city post-arrival, matching surveillance imagery aired on Saudi state television.
The UAE has not issued an official response to the allegations or the strike. This incident follows warning airstrikes attributed to Saudi forces on December 26 against STC positions in Hadramout, after the separatists refused Riyadh’s demands to withdraw from seized territories in Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces.
The STC’s rapid advances earlier in December displaced Saudi-backed forces, raising old South Yemen flags and fueling rallies for secession. Saudi Arabia supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government and a unified state, while the UAE has historically provided military and financial backing to the STC. Though allies in the broader anti-Houthi coalition since 2015, the two Gulf powers have increasingly competed for influence in Yemen, mirroring divergences in other regional conflicts like Sudan.
Experts warn that continued escalation could undermine the fragile truce with the Houthis, potentially reigniting broader fighting and complicating regional stability. Yemen remains one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions facing famine and displacement amid the decade-long war.
International reactions have been cautious, with calls for restraint from the United States and others urging diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
