In a significant reversal of territorial control, Yemeni government forces have fully reclaimed the strategic eastern province of Hadhramaut from UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists. The development follows coordinated military operations by Saudi-supported Nation’s Shield Forces (NSF), which included targeted airstrikes on STC positions throughout the region.
Hadhramaut Governor Salem al-Khanbashi confirmed complete government control, stating: “We have regained full control of all Hadhramaut territory, expelled STC forces, and begun administering duties and normalizing life.” The NSF provided safe passage for withdrawing STC fighters toward Aden, permitting them to carry only personal weapons.
The territorial shift represents a dramatic turnaround from December, when STC forces capitalized on Saudi troop withdrawals to seize control of Hadhramaut and al-Mahra provinces—territories comprising nearly half of Yemen’s landmass and sharing critical borders with Saudi Arabia.
This conflict exposes deepening fractures within the anti-Houthi coalition, pitting Saudi-backed government forces against UAE-supported separatists. The STC, which advocates for reestablishing an independent South Yemen, has received substantial military and financial backing from the United Arab Emirates.
Tensions escalated further when Saudi Arabia bombed Emirati shipments in the port of Mukalla and publicly criticized UAE involvement in pressuring STC forces to operate along Saudi Arabia’s southern border. The Saudi foreign ministry expressed disappointment with Emirati actions that threatened regional stability.
The geopolitical implications extend beyond the Arabian Peninsula, with both the UAE and Israel establishing military presence on the strategic Socotra archipelago under STC control. Israeli monitoring systems deployed there help counter Houthi threats, while the STC has signaled willingness to normalize relations with Israel—a position contrasting with broader Arab consensus.
The STC’s recent announcement of planning an independence referendum followed Israel’s unilateral recognition of Somaliland’s independence, another UAE-aligned territory, highlighting emerging alliances reshaping regional power dynamics.