Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that a military advance by UAE-backed separatist forces in Yemen posed a direct threat to the kingdom’s national security, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two Gulf allies.
In a strongly worded statement, the Saudi foreign ministry described Abu Dhabi’s actions as “highly dangerous”, hours after the Saudi-led coalition said it had struck what it described as a weapons shipment destined for separatist fighters.
“The Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line,” the statement said, adding that Riyadh would not hesitate to take “all necessary steps and measures” to counter such threats.
The United Arab Emirates rejected the accusations, saying the shipment targeted by the coalition did not contain weapons and that the vehicles unloaded were not intended for any Yemeni faction.
The dispute comes amid rapid territorial gains by UAE-backed separatists seeking to restore the formerly independent state of South Yemen. Analysts say the advance has embarrassed Saudi Arabia, the main supporter of Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
The coalition said it had carried out a “limited military operation” at the port of Al-Mukalla after what it described as the unloading of weapons and combat vehicles. AFP footage from the port showed dozens of military vehicles, some burned and smouldering, as workers attempted to douse the wreckage.
Following the strikes, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council declared a state of emergency and cancelled a security agreement with Abu Dhabi after the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council seized large areas of territory.
The STC is formally part of Yemen’s government, a fragile coalition united primarily by opposition to the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which controls much of northern and western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.
Relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long close allies against the Houthis, have grown increasingly strained over Yemen and other regional conflicts, including Sudan.
The Saudi foreign ministry said it was “disappointed” by what it described as Emirati pressure on STC forces to conduct military operations near the kingdom’s southern border, calling such actions a threat to Yemen’s stability and regional security.
Abu Dhabi denied directing or pressuring any Yemeni party to carry out operations affecting Saudi Arabia’s security, condemning what it called unfounded claims.
A source close to the Saudi-led coalition told AFP that diplomacy remained possible, but said previous efforts had failed. “Diplomacy is still an option to stop any further escalation,” the source said.
Riyadh also backed a demand by Yemen’s presidential council for Emirati forces to withdraw from the country within 24 hours and urged the UAE to halt military and financial support to Yemeni groups.
Council head Rashad al-Alimi announced a 90-day state of emergency and formally annulled the security pact with the UAE. STC members of the council later rejected the move, warning it could push Yemen into further conflict.
Saudi broadcasters aired surveillance footage purporting to show Emirati-linked ships unloading equipment at Mukalla, which the coalition said had arrived from the UAE port of Fujairah. The coalition said the strikes complied with international humanitarian law and caused no collateral damage. A port official said an evacuation warning had been issued.
Residents near the port reported damage from the strikes. Abdullah Bazuhair, whose home overlooks Mukalla’s harbour, said windows were blown out and glass scattered across his house. “The children were terrified and the women frightened,” he said.
The coalition has warned it will support Yemen’s government in any confrontation with separatist forces and has urged them to withdraw from recently seized areas in Hadramawt and Mahra. The strikes followed reports of Saudi air raids on separatist positions in Hadramawt last week.
A Yemeni military official said around 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were positioned near the Saudi border but had not been ordered to advance.
