Saudi Arabia carries out airstrikes on Yemen port amid dispute over separatist arms shipment

Saudi Arabia says it carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s eastern port city of Mukalla after what it described as the arrival of weapons intended for a separatist force, marking a sharp escalation in tensions within the Saudi-led coalition involved in Yemen’s long-running conflict.

In a statement released Tuesday through the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi military said the strikes targeted weapons and combat vehicles unloaded at the port from ships that had arrived from Fujairah, a port city on the United Arab Emirates’ eastern coast. The kingdom said the operation was limited in scope and aimed at preventing what it called a threat to regional security and stability.

The development underscores growing strains between Saudi Arabia and the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist group that seeks independence for southern Yemen and is backed by the UAE. While Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have both opposed the Iranian-backed Houthi movement, they have supported rival factions within Yemen, complicating efforts to stabilize the country after nearly a decade of war.

Saudi officials said the weapons shipment represented a dangerous escalation that required military intervention. There was no immediate response from the UAE or the Southern Transitional Council, and it was not clear whether there were casualties from the strikes.

The renewed tensions highlight the fragile nature of alliances in Yemen, where internal divisions among anti-Houthi forces have repeatedly undermined peace efforts and raised concerns about the conflict’s wider impact on regional security.