Saudi Airstrikes Kill 20 UAE-Backed Fighters as Yemen Turns Battleground for Gulf Rivals

Southern Yemen descended deeper into chaos on Friday after Saudi Arabia launched deadly airstrikes on forces aligned with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), killing at least 20 fighters and sharply escalating tensions between two long-time Gulf allies.

The strikes came shortly after Yemen’s internationally recognised government, backed by Riyadh, issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding the United Arab Emirates withdraw its forces and influence from the country. The ultimatum followed sweeping territorial advances by the STC in Yemen’s strategically vital southern regions, turning the conflict into a rare confrontation between Arab powers once united under the same coalition.

According to STC officials, Saudi fighter jets targeted multiple military positions in the Hadramawt region, including the Al-Khasah camp in Wadi Hadramawt. Mohammed Abdulmalik, the STC’s local chief in the area, said at least seven airstrikes hit the camp, killing 20 people and injuring more than 20 others. Additional strikes were reported at nearby sites, further intensifying the violence.

The Saudi strikes followed recent STC attempts to retake control of military facilities in Hadramawt and Mahra, provinces that border Saudi Arabia and are considered critical to Riyadh’s national security. The STC had seized large swathes of these territories in December, a move Saudi officials reportedly viewed as a direct threat.

Riyadh has accused the STC of destabilising the region and undermining Yemen’s unity at a time when the country remains fractured by more than a decade of war. Saudi-backed National Shield Forces launched what they described as a “peaceful” campaign to regain control of military installations, but the operation quickly escalated into open confrontation supported by air power.

A Saudi military source indicated that operations would continue until STC forces withdraw from Hadramawt and Mahra, signalling little room for compromise. Tensions further rose after Saudi officials accused STC leader Aidarous Al-Zubaidi of preventing a Saudi mediation delegation from landing in the southern port city of Aden.

The STC, in turn, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out a large-scale offensive using Islamist militias. Mohamed al-Naqeeb, spokesperson for the STC-backed Southern Shield Forces, claimed that Riyadh was deploying groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaida, likening the situation to Yemen’s 1994 civil war — this time, he said, conducted under Saudi air cover.

Earlier this week, Saudi forces also bombed the port city of Mukalla, alleging that the UAE was shipping weapons and armoured vehicles to the STC. Abu Dhabi firmly rejected the accusation, stating that it respects Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and regional security concerns while denying involvement in destabilising actions.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry said it remains committed to de-escalation and stability, even as disagreements with Riyadh become increasingly public. The diplomatic rift has widened since the UAE announced plans to withdraw its remaining troops from Yemen, a move that briefly eased tensions but failed to resolve deep-seated divisions on the ground.

Saudi Arabia leads the coalition backing Yemen’s recognised government primarily to counter the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The UAE joined the coalition in 2015 but later pursued a parallel strategy, building influence through southern militias and supporting the STC’s secessionist ambitions. That divergence has now pushed Yemen into becoming a proxy battleground between Gulf powers, adding yet another volatile layer to an already fragmented war.