Saudi Arabia Orders UAE Forces to Leave Yemen Within 24 Hours

Saudi Arabia ordered UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours after an airstrike on Mukalla port over alleged unauthorized arms shipments.

Saudi Arabia has given United Arab Emirates forces 24 hours to leave Yemen following an airstrike on the southern port of Mukalla. Riyadh said the strike targeted an unauthorized arms shipment from the UAE intended to support Yemen’s separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Saudi officials said the airstrike was carried out on Tuesday after several vessels sailed from the UAE’s Fujairah port to Mukalla without coordination with the Saudi-led coalition. The ships allegedly disabled their tracking systems upon arrival.

According to the coalition, the vessels unloaded significant quantities of weapons and military equipment at the port, directly supporting the STC. Saudi authorities said the operation was a response to what they called a serious breach of coalition rules.

Saudi state media reported that the airstrike was limited and caused no civilian casualties or collateral damage. Two informed sources told Reuters the strike specifically hit a dock used to offload the suspected weapons shipment.

The incident comes amid sharply rising tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over influence in southern Yemen. Saudi Arabia warned that its national security is a “red line” and described recent Emirati actions as “extremely dangerous.”

The Southern Transitional Council is a UAE-backed political and armed group seeking autonomy or independence for southern Yemen. Led by Aidrous al-Zubaidi, the STC has expanded its control in recent months, including parts of the strategic Hadramout province.

While the UAE formally reduced its military presence in Yemen in 2019, it has continued supporting allied local forces. Saudi Arabia and the UAE increasingly differ over Yemen’s political future, despite once fighting together in the coalition against the Houthis.

Following the airstrike, anti-Houthi forces declared a state of emergency, suspended cooperation with the UAE, and imposed 72-hour restrictions on border crossings, airports, and ports under their control, except those approved by Saudi Arabia.

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi also announced the cancellation of a defense pact with the UAE, accusing Abu Dhabi of fueling internal divisions. Analysts warn the dispute could further destabilize Yemen, which has been mired in civil war since 2014.

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