Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on Yemen’s port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, saying it targeted a shipment of weapons destined for a UAE-backed separatist force, a move that sharply escalated tensions between Riyadh.
The Saudi-led coalition said the strikes followed the arrival of vessels from the Emirati port of Fujairah carrying weapons and armored vehicles intended for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful separatist group seeking to revive the formerly independent state of South Yemen.
BIG: Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen’s Mukalla Port, targeting ships from the UAE carrying armored vehicles and weapons for UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 30, 2025
Tensions between Saudi-backed and UAE-backed forces have escalated sharply after pro-UAE forces… pic.twitter.com/ExPP78VVTz
Riyadh later directly linked the United Arab Emirates to the STC’s recent territorial advances, warning that Abu Dhabi’s actions were “highly dangerous” and posed a threat to Saudi national security.
In a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the coalition said the ships had disabled their tracking systems before unloading weapons in Mukalla, the capital of Yemen’s eastern Hadramout governorate.
Given what it described as the “imminent threat” posed by the shipment, the coalition said it conducted a “limited airstrike” on the offloaded equipment, adding that the operation was carried out overnight to avoid civilian casualties.
Saudi, UAE Exchange Statements
Shortly after the strike, Riyadh said its national security was a red line and backed a call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours.
In a strongly worded statement, Saudi Foreign Ministry said “the steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous,” adding “the Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralize any such threat”.
#Statement | Pursuant to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 25/12/2025 corresponding to 5/7/1447 regarding the Kingdom’s concerted efforts, working with the brotherly United Arab Emirates, to end and contain the escalatory steps taken by the Southern… pic.twitter.com/lTyU0gLgpf
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) December 30, 2025
For its part, the United Arab Emirates called for “restraint and wisdom”, while disputing Riyadh’s allegations against it.
In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the Saudi statement, saying it included “fundamental inaccuracies” about Abu Dhabi’s role events taking place in Yemen
“The UAE rejects allegations that it exerted pressure on any Yemeni party to carry out military operations in a way that affected security of sisterly Saudi Arabia,” the statement read.
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar)