Warning of New Fighting in Aden: An Explicit Saudi Threat to the UAE, Holding It Responsible for Any Southern Escalation
Media escalation and on-the-ground mobilization place Aden on the brink of a new confrontation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi through their local proxies
NYN | Reports and Analyses
In a development that portends a new wave of fighting in the city of Aden, Saudi circles have issued direct threats to the United Arab Emirates, holding it fully responsible for any field escalation or acts of rebellion that the city and the southern governorates may witness in the coming days.
Public Saudi Accusation Against Abu Dhabi
Saudi journalist Abdullah Al-Hatila, who is close to decision-making circles in Riyadh, made sharp statements on his social media platforms, accusing what he described as a “sister Gulf state” of standing behind the incitement of the street in Aden against recent Saudi measures and steps.
Al-Hatila said in an explicit warning: “Let it be known to the sister Gulf state that it will bear the consequences of its incitement to killing and rebellion in Aden and the southern governorates.”
These remarks are considered among the clearest and most public Saudi positions holding the UAE responsible for threatening Saudi influence in southern Yemen.
Transitional Mobilization and Anticipated Protests
This media escalation comes in parallel with a call by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) for its supporters to mobilize and demonstrate tomorrow, Friday, in the city of Aden.
According to political sources, these demonstrations aim to declare support for what the council calls the “constitutional declaration” and to reject what it described as the “recent Saudi measures” that have reduced the council’s influence over a number of security and military joints within the city.
A Power Struggle Enters a “Bone-Breaking” Phase
Observers believe that this exchange of media fire, accompanied by on-the-ground mobilization, reflects the transition of the Saudi-Emirati conflict in southern Yemen into a new, more intense phase, described as a “bone-breaking” stage.
While Riyadh seeks to strengthen its influence by supporting the “Homeland Shield Forces” and expanding the presence of authorities loyal to it in Aden, Abu Dhabi is clinging to its share of influence through the Southern Transitional Council—raising the level of tension and increasing the likelihood of a military explosion.
Aden at a Crossroads
Friday remains a real test of the balance of power on the ground and of either side’s ability to impose control in the most important city of the southern governorates, amid growing fears of the situation sliding toward an open confrontation, the cost of which would be borne by civilians.
