Saudi Arabia says national security is red line as UAE forces asked to leave Yemen

• Raids by the Saudi-led coalition Yemen’s southern port of Mukalla.
  
• UAE-backed STC to undermine the state of: Yemen presidential council.
• KSA urges the UAE to comply with Yemen’s request to leave the country.
  

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday its national security was a red line and backed a call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours, hours after the Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla.

The warning comes as the coalition hit out at what it described as foreign military support for the UAE-backed southern separatists and the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council set a deadline for Emirati forces to withdraw.

The head of Yemen’s presidential council, Rashad al-Alimi, also canceled a defense deal with the United Arab Emirates, Yemen’s state news agency reported, and complained about the UAE’s support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

“Unfortunately, it has been conclusively confirmed that the UAE pressured and led the STC to undermine and rebel against state authority through military escalation,” he added.

Saudi Arabia urged the Emirates to comply with the request. The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Attack on Yemen

The United Arab Emirates was part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen. In 2019, he began withdrawing his troops from the country, but remained committed to the internationally recognized Saudi-backed government.

The STC later decided to seek self-rule in the south and this month launched a surprise offensive against Saudi-backed Yemeni government troops.

The advance broke years of stalemate, with the STC claiming broad control of the south. Saudi Arabia had warned the STC of military moves in the eastern border province of Hadramout and demanded the withdrawal of its forces.

The STC rejected Saudi Arabia’s call.

The limited airstrike followed the weekend arrival of two ships from the UAE port of Fujairah on Saturday and Sunday without its permission, the coalition said.

After arriving at Mukalla, the vessels disabled their tracking systems and unloaded large quantities of weapons and combat vehicles to support the STC, he added.

No casualties in the strike

The coalition said the attack on the Mukalla port caused no casualties or collateral damage, according to Saudi state media.

Two sources said Reuters that the strike was aimed at the dock where the cargo of the two ships was being unloaded.

Footage on Yemeni state television showed black smoke rising from the port early in the morning after the strike, with burning vehicles in the port.

UAE-backed forces control large swathes of land in the south, including the strategically important province of Hadramout.

The head of Yemen’s presidential council, Alimi, imposed a no-fly zone and a sea and land embargo on all ports and crossings for 72 hours, except for exceptions approved by the coalition.

Hadramout borders Saudi Arabia and has cultural and historical ties with it. Many prominent Saudis trace their origins to the region.

As of 2022, the STC is part of an alliance that controls southern areas outside Houthi control, as part of a Saudi-backed power-sharing initiative.

The Houthis control the northern region, including Sanaa, the capital.

“We will continue to prevent any military support from any country to any Yemeni faction without coordination with the legitimate government,” the coalition added.