NYN | News
Hadramawt governorate has witnessed a notable development in the course of Saudi–Emirati tensions, following a Saudi airstrike that targeted a shipment of Emirati military vehicles that had arrived at the port of Mukalla. The move reflected Riyadh’s shift from the language of warnings to direct targeting of the Emirati presence in the governorate.
Direct Strike and Political Messages
According to corroborating sources, the strike targeted military vehicles that arrived at Mukalla port aboard two cargo ships coming from the Emirati port of Fujairah, as part of military support for the Abu Dhabi–backed Southern Transitional Council.
Observers considered the strike to carry clear political and security messages, indicating Saudi rejection of Emirati attempts to expand military influence in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra.
Official Emirati Response
In response, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly issued a statement addressing the Saudi accusations related to the Yemeni file, describing what was stated in Riyadh’s announcement as “substantive misrepresentations.”
The Emirati statement expressed Abu Dhabi’s disapproval of Saudi claims that it had exerted pressure on its affiliated factions to carry out military operations that would undermine the kingdom’s security.
A Rift Beyond Coordination
Analysts said the Saudi airstrike amounted to a political slap to Abu Dhabi, which—according to their assessment—had sought to “hold the stick from the middle” by strengthening its military presence in Yemen’s eastern governorates. This move was seen at the time as a direct challenge to Saudi influence, which appeared to have lost the initiative in those areas.
An Open Struggle for Influence
These developments reveal the depth of the growing fracture in relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi on the Yemeni scene, amid indications that the dispute is no longer confined to political coordination but has taken on direct field dimensions that could be reflected in the future of the security and military landscape in Hadramawt and the rest of the eastern governorates.
