Yemen’s war has acquired a new internal front as UAE-backed southern separatists led by the STC seize large parts of Hadramawt and Mahrah. Saudi-led forces struck an alleged arms shipment they blamed on the UAE; the UAE denied the claim. Yemen’s Presidential Council ended its defence pact with the UAE and declared a 90-day state of emergency while roughly 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters massed near the border. Observers warn the clash could shatter a fragile truce and deepen a rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
A War Within A War: Yemen’s New Power Struggle Between UAE-Backed Separatists And Saudi-Aligned Forces
A Saudi air strike damaged military vehicles in the port of Makalla, but the UAE inisisted there were no weapons aboard (STRINGER)(STRINGER/AFP/AFP)
Yemen’s long-running conflict, which began when Iran-backed Houthi fighters ousted the government in 2014 and prompted a Saudi-led intervention, has opened a dangerous new internal front. Rival armed factions that nominally fall under the internationally recognized government are now clashing — one side backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the other by Saudi Arabia.
What’s Happening Now?
This month the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), a powerful secessionist coalition and formal partner in the government, seized large parts of resource-rich Hadramawt province and stretches of neighbouring Mahrah. Riyadh, the principal backer of Yemen’s internationally recognized authorities, responded with pressure and strikes.
Tensions escalated when a Saudi-led coalition said it struck a shipment of weapons and armoured vehicles it accused the UAE of sending to the STC. The UAE denied transferring arms. Following the strikes, Yemen’s Presidential Council terminated its defence pact with the UAE and declared a 90-day state of emergency.
The coalition strikes followed raids on STC positions intended, Riyadh said, to force a separatist withdrawal. The UAE then announced it would pull its remaining troops out of Yemen, while STC spokespeople vowed to hold newly seized positions. A Yemeni military official reported roughly 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters massed near the Saudi border with no reported orders to advance.
Why Hadramawt Matters
Hadramawt is Yemen’s largest province by area and contains most of the country’s major oil deposits. Its ports sit away from Red Sea routes frequently targeted by the Houthis, making it both economically valuable and strategically important. Families and business networks from Hadramawt also have deep ties to Saudi Arabia — a factor that amplifies Riyadh’s concern over a UAE-backed force controlling the province.
What The STC Wants
Led by Aidaros Alzubidi, the STC seeks significantly greater autonomy for the south and is widely viewed as pursuing the long-term goal of re-establishing an independent South Yemen (a state that existed from 1967–1990). The STC currently controls most of the territory of former South Yemen and hopes to consolidate leadership, secure oil and gas revenues, and insulate the south from Houthi-held areas in the north.
Can Saudi Arabia Stop The Separatists?
The confrontation pits the Saudi alliance against a determined militia intent on controlling territory it sees as distinct. Riyadh’s decade-long campaign against the Houthis — despite heavy spending and extensive air strikes — has not produced decisive results, and analysts warn air power alone is unlikely to dislodge well-entrenched ground forces. As Farea al-Muslimi of Chatham House observed, "Air strikes can never make a significant difference in battles if there is no ground war." The coming days will test whether diplomatic pressure, localized operations or wider military engagement determine control of the south.
Risk: Analysts warn the dispute could unravel an already fragile truce and further strain relations between two key U.S. allies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
