Tensions in Yemen’s protracted conflict have reached a critical juncture as the Saudi-led coalition conducted aerial strikes against the home province of UAE-backed separatist leader Aidaros Alzubidi. This military action follows Alzubidi’s failure to attend crucial reconciliation talks in Riyadh, prompting his subsequent dismissal from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council on charges of high treason.
The escalation began when the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which Alzubidi leads, seized substantial territories last month, triggering a 48-hour ultimatum from the coalition for negotiations. Despite sending a delegation to Saudi Arabia, Alzubidi himself refused to participate upon learning the discussions would demand the dissolution of his separatist movement. Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki asserted that Alzubidi had instead distributed weapons and ammunition throughout Aden while mobilizing significant forces in al-Dhale province.
In response to the deteriorating situation, STC officials implemented a nighttime curfew in Aden from 9:00 pm to 6:00 am local time, citing imminent clashes with Saudi-backed forces. The separatist group further alleges that Saudi authorities have arbitrarily detained more than 50 STC officials, demanding their immediate release.
The confrontation has exposed deepening fractures within the anti-Houthi alliance, particularly between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which have historically supported rival factions within Yemen’s government. The coalition and allied Yemeni forces have reportedly reversed most of the STC’s recent territorial gains, while Saudi-backed National Shield forces are advancing toward Aden from Shabwa province.
This crisis emerges against the backdrop of Alzubidi’s recent declaration of a two-year transition plan to establish an independent “South Arabia” in Yemen’s southern regions, further complicating peace efforts in the conflict-ravaged nation.