Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes STC-Linked Assets in Mukalla, Exposing Rifts in Yemen War Alliance

The Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced that it carried out limited airstrikes on the Port of Mukalla in southern Yemen, targeting military vehicles and equipment belonging to the Southern Transitional Council (STC).

According to coalition statements, the equipment had arrived aboard two ships from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in recent hours.

Mukalla, the capital of Hadramawt governorate, is one of southern Yemen’s most strategically significant ports, serving as a commercial hub and a key entry point for goods and security forces. The coalition said the strikes were intended to prevent unauthorized military deployments that could destabilize the area and undermine existing security arrangements.

The incident is notable not only for its military implications, but for what it reveals about deepening divisions within the anti-Houthi camp.

While Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been core partners in the Yemen war since 2015, they have long supported different political and military actors on the ground. Riyadh backs Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while Abu Dhabi has cultivated close ties with the STC, a southern separatist movement that seeks autonomy or outright independence for southern Yemen.

By striking STC-linked equipment allegedly supplied via the UAE, Saudi Arabia appears to be sending a clear signal that it will not tolerate unilateral military buildups by rival southern forces—particularly in strategically sensitive locations such as Mukalla.

The move underscores Saudi concerns that the STC is expanding its influence beyond agreed frameworks, potentially threatening Riyadh’s vision of a unified Yemeni state under a central government.

Geopolitically, the strikes highlight the fragmentation of authority in Yemen and the increasingly complex nature of the conflict. The war is no longer defined solely by the fight against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in the north, but by competing power struggles in the south, driven by local ambitions and regional rivalries. These internal fractures weaken the overall coherence of the anti-Houthi front and complicate efforts to advance peace negotiations.

The episode also carries a regional message. As Saudi Arabia pushes for de-escalation and a political settlement to end the war, it is asserting itself as the primary power broker in Yemen’s future, even as it manages a delicate relationship with the UAE. Control over ports like Mukalla is not only a local security issue, but a strategic concern tied to trade routes, energy security, and influence along the Arabian Sea and Red Sea corridors.

Ultimately, the airstrikes reinforce growing concerns that Yemen risks becoming permanently divided, with different regions dominated by rival factions backed by competing external powers. Without a comprehensive political agreement that addresses both northern and southern ambitions, incidents like Mukalla may become increasingly common—further destabilizing an already fragile country.