Hours after Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on the port city of Mukalla, Riyadh on Tuesday said its national security was a red line and backed the call for UAE to leave Yemen within 24 hours. Meanwhile,
Yemen’s anti-Houthi forces declared a state of emergency in response to the strikes.
According to Reuters, the warning represented Riyadh’s strongest language against Abu Dhabi yet, as the coalition struck what it described as foreign military support to UAE-backed southern separatists, and the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council set the deadline for Emirati forces to leave.
Yemeni state news agency reported that presidential council head, Rashad al-Alimi cancelled a defence pact with the UAE and even accused the UAE of causing internal strife in the country with the support of Southern Transitional Council (STC).
“Unfortunately, it has been definitively confirmed that the United Arab Emirates pressured and directed the STC to undermine and rebel against the authority of the state through military escalation,” he added.
According to Ynetnews, the strikes by UAE hit the port city of Mukalla, where Saudi jets targeted armored vehicles and weapons allegedly offloaded from ships that arrived from the UAE. Saudi said the shipment was was intended for the UAE‑aligned Southern Transitional Council, a powerful separatist faction in Yemen’s long‑running conflict.
In response, Yemen’s anti‑Houthi forces declared a state of emergency Tuesday and imposed a 72‑hour ban on border crossings, airports and seaports in areas they control.
Meanwhile, Saudi said the strike on Mukalla port caused no casualties or collateral damage.
