Yemen's transport ministry, aligned with the Emirati-backed STC, says Saudi Arabia now requires flights to and from Aden to stop in Jeddah for inspection, a move the ministry called a sudden 'air blockade.' Officials say the restriction applies specifically to Aden–UAE routes, while Saudi and Emirati authorities did not immediately comment. The announcement comes amid mounting tensions after the STC advanced into Hadramout and Mahra, displacing Saudi-backed forces. Local reports say UAE-backed troops are withdrawing from the al-Rayyan base as STC units secure the airport and remove equipment.
Saudi Requires Jeddah Inspections For Aden–UAE Flights, Yemen Transport Ministry Says
A Southern Yemen soldier of Southern Transitional Council (STC) stands at a check point, in Aden, Yemen, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo)
Yemen's transport ministry, aligned with the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), said on Thursday that Saudi Arabia has imposed a new requirement requiring flights to and from Aden International Airport to stop in Jeddah for inspections.
In an official statement, the ministry said it was 'shocked' by what it described as sudden procedures obliging international flights departing from or arriving in Aden to make an inspection stop in Jeddah before continuing their journeys. When local officials sought clarification, Saudi authorities reportedly said the restriction applies specifically to flights between Aden and the United Arab Emirates.
'We call for an end to the air blockade imposed on the Yemeni people, a reversal of these measures, and a return to the previous mechanisms that had been in place for years,' the transport ministry said.
The reasons for the reported Saudi measures remain unclear. Requests for comment sent to the Saudi and Emirati foreign ministries did not receive an immediate response.
Context: Rising Friction Between Gulf Partners
The announcement comes amid growing tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two Gulf powers that have increasingly clashed over economic interests and regional politics, particularly in the Red Sea corridor. Relations have been further strained since the STC moved last month into Yemen's Hadramout and Mahra governorates and seized control of an oil-rich area.
That advance displaced forces affiliated with the Saudi-supported National Shield Forces. Yemen's civil war has left the Iran-backed Houthi movement controlling much of the north while a Saudi–UAE-backed coalition supports the internationally recognized government in the south. The UAE also backs southern separatists who seek renewed independence for South Yemen; STC supporters have increasingly displayed the former South Yemen flag, a symbol of those separatist aspirations.
Local Developments: Al-Rayyan Base
Faez bin Omar, a leader of the Hadramout Tribes Confederacy, told The Associated Press that UAE-backed forces began withdrawing from the al-Rayyan base in Mukalla, Hadramout's capital, two days earlier. He said STC-affiliated forces at the airport were removing weapons and military vehicles left behind but cautioned that the situation remained fluid.
'The Council forces are present inside and around the airport, apparently waiting for the UAE-backed forces to complete their withdrawal,' Bin Omar said, adding that the base has hosted a military operations room used by the UAE, reportedly for counterterrorism work.
The transport ministry's statement and shifting troop deployments underline how fragile and complex alliances have become in southern Yemen, where local, regional and international actors pursue overlapping and sometimes conflicting objectives.
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