Saudi Arabia Bombs Yemen Port Over Alleged UAE Weapons Shipment
Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen’s port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, citing intelligence that a shipment of weapons destined for separatist forces had arrived from the United Arab Emirates, in a move that signals a sharp escalation in tensions within the anti-Houthi coalition.
The airstrikes targeted weapons and military vehicles allegedly unloaded from vessels that arrived at Mukalla from Fujairah, a port city on the UAE’s eastern coast, according to a military statement released by the Saudi-led coalition and carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency.
“The ships’ crews disabled tracking devices and unloaded a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles in support of the Southern Transitional Council,” the statement said, adding that the shipment posed an “imminent threat” to peace and stability.
The coalition said it conducted a “limited and precise” overnight airstrike to avoid civilian casualties. It remained unclear whether there were any injuries or damage beyond the targeted military equipment.
The United Arab Emirates did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Southern Transitional Council’s AIC satellite channel acknowledged the strikes without providing further details.
The attack underscores growing friction between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, longtime allies who have backed rival factions in Yemen’s decade-long conflict against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The UAE supports the Southern Transitional Council, which seeks independence for southern Yemen, while Saudi Arabia backs Yemen’s internationally recognised government and affiliated forces.
Following the strike, Yemen’s anti-Houthi authorities declared a state of emergency, announcing a 72-hour ban on all border crossings, airports and seaports in territories under their control, except those authorised by Saudi Arabia.
Analysts believe the strike targeted a roll-on, roll-off vessel identified as the Greenland, flagged out of St. Kitts, which tracking data showed had been docked in Fujairah on December 22 before arriving in Mukalla on Sunday. A second vessel involved in the alleged shipment could not be immediately identified.
Yemen analyst Mohammed al-Basha said social media footage appeared to show newly arrived armoured vehicles moving through Mukalla shortly after the ship’s arrival. He warned that the situation could trigger a “calibrated escalation” between the Saudi-backed forces and the UAE-backed separatists.
Mukalla, located in Yemen’s Hadramout governorate, lies about 480 kilometres northeast of Aden and has recently fallen under the control of separatist forces following clashes with Saudi-aligned units. The Southern Transitional Council has intensified its push for renewed independence of South Yemen, a state that existed separately from 1967 until its unification with the north in 1990.
The latest strike follows earlier Saudi air raids on separatist positions last week, widely viewed as a warning to halt their advance into Hadramout and neighbouring Mahra province.
The escalation comes amid broader instability across the Red Sea region, including ongoing conflict in Sudan and rising tensions involving Israel, Somalia’s breakaway Somaliland region, and threats issued by Yemen’s Houthi movement.
