The Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen has carried out targeted air strikes against UAE-backed separatist forces, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two Gulf allies. The action on Wednesday followed the reported failure of the separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, to travel to Riyadh for crucial peace talks.
Failed Diplomacy and Pre-emptive Strikes
According to a statement from coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), was scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia for negotiations concerning the future of southern Yemen. While other STC officials made the journey, al-Zubaidi did not board the plane. Al-Malki claimed intelligence indicated al-Zubaidi had instead mobilised a significant force, prompting him to "flee to an unknown location."
In response, the coalition stated it undertook "limited pre-emptive strikes" on Wednesday aimed at preventing the STC from expanding the conflict. Local sources within the STC reported more than 15 strikes in Abyan province, the home region of al-Zubaidi.
Political Fallout and Accusations of Treason
The political repercussions were swift. The Saudi-backed Yemeni presidential council, chaired by Rashad al-Alimi, took severe action against the absent leader. Al-Zubaidi was stripped of his council membership and referred to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason, as announced by the state SABA news agency.
The decision accused him of inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities, and committing abuses against civilians in southern Yemen. This move starkly highlights the deep fracture within the coalition that was originally formed to combat the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
A Coalition Fractured
This incident underscores the growing feud between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the direction of the Yemen war and the future political landscape. For years, the STC has been a nominal part of Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is supported by the coalition.
However, the Emirati-backed STC's separatist ambitions for southern Yemen have increasingly clashed with Saudi objectives, creating a complex multi-front conflict. The Houthis, who seized the capital Sana'a in 2014, remain the dominant military force in much of the country, with the Gulf intervention in 2015 having splintered Yemen into rival zones of control.
The latest strikes and the treason charges against a once-allied leader signal a dangerous new phase in the long-running war, where former partners are now openly trading blows.
