The Saudi Arabian government confirmed that it would support the Yemeni government in any military confrontation with separatist forces. The Saudis also called on the separatists to withdraw “peacefully” from the Yemeni provinces they had just captured.
This statement was made on Saturday (27/12), a day after Saudi air strikes were reported on separatist positions in Hadramawt province, Yemen.
General Turki al-Malki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said they would act “directly and at the right time… to protect civilians”, according to Saudi news agency SPA.
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Reported by the news agency AFPSaturday (27/12/2025), Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman wrote on social media
Previously, the STC had warned on Friday (26/12) that it would not be deterred after Saudi airstrikes hit their positions, in the latest escalation since they seized parts of Yemen last month.
There were no immediate reports of casualties in the attack.
In recent weeks, the separatist group supported by the United Arab Emirates, and seeking to revive the previously independent state of South Yemen, has succeeded in seizing a number of Yemeni territories.
Experts say their success has embarrassed Saudi Arabia, the dominant regional power, the main backer of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Farea al-Muslimi, from the Chatham House think tank in London, told AFP that the STC had crossed Riyadh’s “red line”. He added that the situation could deteriorate quickly.
“Humiliating Saudi Arabia is one bad thing. And embarrassing Saudi Arabia in public is a much worse thing. And that’s what they did,” he said.
A Yemeni military official told AFP that around 15,000 Saudi-backed Yemeni troops had gathered in the border area, but had not received orders to confront the separatists.
Page 2 of 2
(eng/ita)
