Israeli Expert Describes STC Takeover of Hadhramaut as “Emirati Genius,” Reveals Extensive Intelligence Cooperation
Israeli Analysis: A Pincer Strategy from Socotra to Hadhramaut Aiming to Encircle Sana’a Government Forces and Secure Global Trade Routes
NYN | Reports and Analyses
In a notable comment reflecting the extent of Israeli interest in recent developments in eastern Yemen, a prominent Israeli geopolitical expert described the takeover of Wadi Hadhramaut by UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces as a “brilliant military success” and an example of “Emirati genius,” revealing ongoing strategic cooperation between the UAE and “Israel” in the Socotra archipelago and in coastal and inland areas of eastern Yemen.
Details of the Operation and Control of Strategic Sites
Israeli expert Avi Avidan, in an extended analysis published on the “X” platform, praised what he called a “well-executed operation” through which the STC managed to take control of Seiyun without notable resistance, including the presidential palace, Seiyun International Airport, and several vital facilities. Avidan viewed this step as having “placed Yemen’s largest oil reserves under the direct influence of the ambitious southern coalition.”
A UAE-Israeli Pincer Strategy
Avidan also revealed a broader plan he referred to as a “pincer strategy” between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv, starting from the strategically located island of Socotra—where he said “joint intelligence centers” exist—and extending through Aden and into the depths of Hadhramaut, with the aim of “outmaneuvering Sana’a’s forces at every turn.”
He indicated that this move allows the UAE-Israeli axis to control key ports, oil resources, and trade routes that affect 30% of global shipping.
A Multi-Layered Siege on Sana’a Government Forces
Analyzing the consequences of this influence, the expert argued that Sana’a’s forces have become “encircled” in terms of resources and supplies, noting that the capital, Sana’a, has become “akin to a calculated meat grinder,” as he put it, and is besieged amid shortages of fuel, weapons, and revenue.
He also linked this siege to Israel’s military role, claiming that “Israel controls the sky and the sea and has been carrying out strikes against the Houthis since 2023,” and that its naval forces and their partners in the Red Sea form “a formidable barrier against the flow of Iranian weapons,” as he said.
Empowering Proxies and Technological Superiority
Avidan described developments in Hadhramaut as “a redefinition of military efficiency,” pointing out that the UAE employs an approach based on “smart empowerment of proxies through technology,” in contrast to what he referred to as “the long quagmires previously faced by Saudi Arabia.”
The Political Dimension… Toward a Secular Southern Stronghold
After addressing military aspects, the expert discussed the political dimension, praising the UAE’s role in building what he called “a secular southern stronghold” through funding some 120,000 STC fighters.
He also commended statements by STC President Aidarous al-Zubaidi regarding South Yemen’s readiness to join the “Abraham Accords,” considering this “a consolidation of a new regional axis against Iran.”
Wide-Ranging Regional Implications
The analysis expanded to include the effects of this strategy in other regions, stating that the UAE-led “security revolution” extends to Puntland in Somalia, Haftar’s forces in Libya, and even Rapid Support networks in Sudan, affirming that “this pincer will not disappear anytime soon.”
A Future Vision: A New Middle East Shaped by UAE-Israeli Standards
Concluding his analysis, Avidan said that “dismantling pockets of terrorism in Yemen, province by province, paves the way for a safer, more integrated Middle East,” adding that what he termed the “second Abraham Accords” is not a dream but “a near victory,” and that the UAE “deserves full credit for freeing the United States from the burden of regional security stabilization.”
Developments on the Ground Amid International Silence
This Israeli praise comes at a time when the governorates of Hadhramaut and Mahrah are witnessing rapid military and political movements that are redrawing the map of influence in eastern and southern Yemen, amid a striking regional and international silence regarding these events.
