Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on the port of Mukalla in Hadramout province amid a sharp escalation of Yemen’s war. According to Saudi state media, the target was weapons and armored vehicles delivered from the UAE for the Southern Transitional Council, which advocates the separation of South Yemen.
Reports say the incident took place on December 26, 2025, but became public only on December 30. Two ships left the Emirati port of Fujairah, switched off their navigation systems, and entered Mukalla without authorization from Yemen’s internationally recognized government or the anti-Houthi coalition. After unloading, port warehouses were struck; no deaths were reported, though part of the cargo was destroyed.
Following the attack, Yemen temporarily closed its airspace. Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi declared the mutual defense agreement with the UAE against the Houthis void, demanded that Emirati units leave Yemen within 24 hours, and imposed a 90-day state of emergency. Riyadh backed the official government, while STC commanders called the strike an act of aggression against southern forces.
Founded in 2017, the STC controls significant territory, including Aden, and has long received military and financial support from Abu Dhabi. Analysts cited in the article say the shipment was part of a broader Emirati effort to strengthen southern forces in areas with access to key sea lanes and rich oil and gas resources.
The Mukalla strike was the first known case of Saudi forces openly attacking assets linked to the UAE. It highlights the diverging strategies of the former allies: Saudi Arabia favors a unified Yemen under the central government, while the UAE, in the authors’ assessment, prefers a fragmented arrangement that secures its influence in the south.
The article also recalls allegations against UAE-backed forces. Human rights groups have accused them of enforced disappearances, secret prisons, and torture, while investigations have linked the Emirates to funding targeted killings of politicians and activists. In that context, the current crisis is presented not only as a military episode, but also as a reflection of pragmatic rivalry between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.