Saudi jets target UAE-backed separatists in Yemen’s south

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Saudi jets target UAE-backed separatists in Yemen’s south

January 2, 2026

ADEN,— Saudi warplanes carried out multiple airstrikes on Friday against forces of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in southern Yemen, STC officials said.

The strikes hit several military camps in the eastern governorate of Hadramout. No casualties were immediately reported, and Saudi authorities did not respond to requests for comment.

Ahmed bin Breik, deputy head of the STC and former governor of Hadramout, said Saudi-backed National Shield Forces advanced toward STC-held camps before the airstrikes.

“Our forces refused to withdraw,” he said, describing the strikes as a direct attack on their positions. He did not provide further details on damage.

Three separate airstrikes reportedly targeted the Al Khasha military camp, one of the largest in Hadramout. Yemeni sources said armored vehicles belonging to the Saudi-backed government were moving toward the camp, which the STC seized last month during an expansion into Hadramout and Mahra.

The STC, which is supported by the UAE, has increasingly controlled southern military positions previously held by the internationally recognized government. Riyadh considers the moves a challenge to stability in regions bordering Saudi Arabia.

Yemen’s Saudi-backed gov’t launches military operation against UAE-backed separatists

Later on Friday, Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said it had launched a coordinated operation against UAE-backed separatists in Hadramout.

The government described the campaign as a security measure to restore order, secure military camps, and remove weapons from areas that could be used to threaten local stability.

Salem Ahmed Saeed al Khunbashi, the governor of Hadramout, was appointed to command Saudi-backed forces in the province.

In remarks broadcast on state television, he said the operation was not intended as a declaration of war but as a preventive measure. “Our goal is to protect Hadramout from chaos and prevent the misuse of camps,” he said.

STC officials dismissed the government’s description of the operation as peaceful.

Amr Al Bidh, a senior STC official, said Saudi Arabia had misled the international community by announcing a nonviolent campaign while preparing airstrikes. He said at least seven strikes occurred minutes after the announcement.

The STC placed its forces across Hadramout and Mahra on high alert. Spokesperson Mohammed al Naqeeb warned that the council was ready to respond if the campaign escalates. The STC has refused calls to hand over control of camps or withdraw weapons.

The Saudi-led coalition also deployed naval forces across the Arabian Sea, Brigadier General Turki al Maliki said on X. The deployments were intended to prevent smuggling and conduct inspections, according to the coalition.

Diplomatic tensions also increased. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed al Jaber, said STC leader Aidarus Al Zubaidi blocked the landing of a Saudi delegation in Aden on Thursday.

The delegation was meant to mediate the conflict. Al Jaber said Saudi Arabia had spent weeks attempting dialogue with the STC, only to face continued rejection.

The STC-aligned Transport Ministry accused Saudi Arabia of imposing an air blockade, requiring flights to and from Aden International Airport to be routed through Saudi Arabia for inspection.

Flights between Aden and the UAE were suspended until the measures were lifted, according to a ministry spokesperson. Saudi authorities did not confirm the restrictions.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict for more than a decade. Houthi forces control much of the north, while the internationally recognized government operates mainly in the south with Saudi support.

The UAE, while previously part of the coalition, backs the STC, creating divisions among anti-Houthi forces.

STC supporters have increasingly displayed the flag of South Yemen, which existed from 1967 until its unification with North Yemen in 1990. Rivalries among southern factions continue to complicate stabilization efforts and prospects for a political settlement.

(With files from AP | Reuters)