Saudis Say Airstrike in Yemen Targeted Arms From U.A.E.

The Saudi-led coalition said its strike, at a port in southern Yemen, targeted weapons bound for a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates.Damaged military vehicles at the port of al-Mukalla in Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition struck an arms shipment on Tuesday.Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesSaeed Al-Batati and Ismaeel NaarSaeed Al-Batati reported from al-Mukalla, Yemen, and Ismaeel Naar from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Dec. 30, 2025Updated 3:14 a.m. ETThe Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said it carried out a “limited” airstrike on Tuesday targeting an arms shipment bound for separatists backed by the United Arab Emirates, a significant escalation that laid bare a deepening rift between the two Gulf allies.The strike, at the port of al-Mukalla in southern Yemen, was triggered by the arrival of two ships from the Emirates that entered the port without permits, said Brig. Gen. Turki al-Malki, the main spokesman for the coalition, which supports Yemen’s internationally recognized government.After the ships docked, crew members began unloading a “large quantity” of weapons and armored vehicles, Brigadier al-Malki said in a statement. He said the arms were meant for the Southern Transitional Council, or S.T.C., a separatist group that is funded by the United Arab Emirates.“Given the danger and escalation posed by these weapons, which threaten security and stability, the coalition air forces conducted a limited military operation this morning targeting the equipment,” Brigadier al-Malki said.After the strike, the official Yemeni government said it was ending a joint defense agreement with the Emirates and ordered all Emirati forces to withdraw from Yemen within 24 hours. The government also declared a 90-day state of emergency, saying it would close all entry points into Yemen by land, sea and air for 72 hours.The airstrike was the first time Saudi forces were known to have directly fired on assets that they said were linked to the S.T.C. It followed a tense weekend in which Saudi Arabia issued an ultimatum demanding that the separatists withdraw from territory in the eastern provinces of Hadramaut and al-Mahra that they seized in a rapid offensive earlier this month.The Emirati foreign ministry did not immediately respond to questions on Tuesday. The Saudi foreign ministry accused the Emirates of being behind the S.T.C.’s recent advances, calling that an “extremely dangerous” move.The events of the past week have underlined the patchwork of allegiances in Yemen’s civil war. The S.T.C. is ostensibly part of the official government, but it has long agitated for an independent state in southern Yemen.Ahmed Saleh, a local journalist, said he saw numerous vehicles damaged after the strike and flames billowing from inside the port facility, with military vehicles encircling the area. “The explosions shattered and damaged the windows of the building near the port,” he said by telephone.An image that Mr. Saleh shared with The New York Times showed a large industrial yard crowded with dozens of military vehicles, mostly armored cars and pickup trucks, many of which were badly burned or destroyed.Residents of Mukalla, which is the capital of Hadramaut, reported hearing a loud explosion at about 4:20 a.m. Shortly afterward, images and videos posted on social media showed large flames rising from the port.The coalition’s airstrike followed an official request for military intervention from Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, who said the S.T.C.’s recent moves were pushing the country toward “chaos and division” and accused the Emirates of fueling the war.“This is an escalatory step against the security and stability of the governorates of Hadramaut and al-Mahra,” Mr. al-Alimi said in a televised address, calling it “a continuation of systematic work over the years.”Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have long been nominal partners against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are backed by Iran. But while the Saudis are determined to prop up the official government and its armed forces to keep Yemen unified, the Emirates has placed its bets on the S.T.C.s goal of a state in southern Yemen.The Saudi-led coalition carried out warning strikes last week in Hadramaut that were meant to halt the S.T.C.’s advance and signal the Saudis’ commitment to defending the Yemeni government’s authority in the east. Supporters of the separatists were reported to have been holding rallies in Mukalla for several days, waving the flag of what was once independent South Yemen.Ismaeel Naar is an international reporter for The Times, covering the Gulf states. He is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.SKIP