Saudi Arabia has launched warning airstrikes near positions of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the oil-rich province of Hadramout, the separatist group has claimed. Videos released by STC-affiliated media on Friday showed explosions in Wadi Nahab, which the group said were close to its forces. The strikes, if confirmed, would mark the first military action by Riyadh since it called on the STC to withdraw from recently seized territories.
The STC, backed by the United Arab Emirates, captured the provinces of Hadramout and al-Mahra this month with little resistance. Amr al-Bidh, a foreign affairs representative for the STC, said the airstrikes followed ambushes that left two dead. Saudi officials have not commented on the allegations.
The Saudi foreign ministry issued a statement on Thursday urging the STC to withdraw and return to negotiations, warning that unilateral actions threatened Yemen's unity. Riyadh stressed the need for restraint to avoid destabilising consequences. The UAE responded with a brief statement commending Saudi Arabia's role but stopping short of endorsing the withdrawal call.
The STC has long advocated for a return to a divided Yemen, arguing that a cohesive south would be more effective against the Iranian-backed Houthis, who control the north. Meanwhile, European nations and Gulf states have called for Yemen's unity, while the US has remained largely silent.
