As UAE-Saudi rivalry heats up, Yemen’s STC accuses Riyadh of airstrikes
Saudi Arabia has criticized the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council’s military offensive, which has sent shockwaves through the country and the Gulf.
Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council accused Saudi Arabia of launching airstrikes against its forces on Friday in a major sign of escalation in the war-torn country and as ties between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi fray over the latter's backing of the STC.
What happened: STC military spokesperson Mohamed al-Naqib said in a statement that the council’s forces in Hadhramout province were targeted by Saudi “airstrikes” at 8:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. local time (12:00 a.m. and 1:15 a.m. EST). According to the statement, the strikes targeted the Wadi Nahab area and other unspecified locations in the province.
In Yemen just a few hours ago, the Saudi Air Force started bombing South Yemeni separatist forces in Hadhramaut province following renewed and intensified clashes.
— روني الدنماركي (@aldnmarki) December 26, 2025
A first of its kind in the decade-long conflict. pic.twitter.com/6m7avle9v3
It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties and Saudi authorities have not commented on the incident.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that it “welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support security and stability in the Republic of Yemen.” The statement did not mention the reports of Saudi airstrikes.
