Saudi Arabia has carried out an airstrike on the port of the coastal city of Mukalla in Yemen, claiming to target a shipment of weapons for a Yemeni separatist group that arrived last night.
According to the official Saudi Press Agency, a statement issued by Saudi Arabia claimed that the weapons were delivered to Mukalla by two ships from the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah and were being unloaded in support of the Southern Transitional Council.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC) was part of the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in 2015, but later launched a campaign for the autonomy of southern Yemen. In recent days, flags of southern Yemen have also been raised, and slogans in favor of secession have been raised during protests.
The statement said that after arriving in Mukalla, these planes turned off their tracking systems and unloaded a large amount of weapons and military vehicles, which were considered an immediate threat to peace and stability. On this basis, the coalition air force carried out limited air operations and targeted these weapons and military vehicles.
Saudi officials say that the attack was carried out at night to avoid any casualties or collateral damage. According to state media, no casualties were reported in the attack.
The United Arab Emirates has not immediately responded to the attack; however, a satellite channel operated by Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) confirmed the attack, but did not provide further details.
According to the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’, one of the ships targeted was a roll-on-roll-off ship, which is being called Greenland, and is registered under the flag of St. Kitts. According to tracking data, the ship was in Fujairah on December 22 and arrived in Mukalla on Sunday.
Videos on social media show new armored military vehicles allegedly arriving in Mukalla, which are said to have arrived on the same ship. According to Yemeni affairs expert Mohammed Al-Basha, there is a possibility of limited but measured tensions between the two sides increasing.
According to him, the supply of weapons from the UAE to the Southern Transitional Council may decrease after this attack, especially since the airspace is under Saudi Arabian control.
Mukalla is located in Yemen’s Hadramawt province, which the Southern Transitional Council has recently taken control of. The city is located about 480 kilometers northeast of Aden, which has been the centre of anti-Houthi forces since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014.
Earlier on Friday, Saudi Arabia carried out airstrikes on positions of the Southern Transitional Council, which analysts described as a message to the separatists to stop their advance and withdraw from Hadramawt and Al-Mahra. The developments have further strained relations between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has clearly stated that its national security is a red line. According to Reuters, it has also demanded that Emirati forces withdraw from Mukalla within 24 hours.
Rashad Al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Council, announced the cancellation of a defence agreement with the Emirates, accusing the United Arab Emirates of stoking internal tensions in Yemen and inciting the Southern Transitional Council against state authority.
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