Saudi-Led Coalition Warns Separatists, Pledges Support for Yemen Government Amid Escalating Tensions

The Saudi-led coalition has warned that it will support Yemen’s internationally recognised government in any military confrontation with separatist forces, urging them to withdraw peacefully from recently seized provinces. The warning follows reported Saudi air strikes on separatist positions in Yemen’s Hadramawt province and growing international concern, with the United States calling for restraint.

Coalition spokesperson General Turki al-Malki said the alliance would act “directly and at the appropriate moment” to protect civilian lives. Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman also called on the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to hand over control of two regional governorates, stressing that it was time for reason to prevail through a peaceful withdrawal.

The STC, however, said it remained undeterred after strikes it blamed on Saudi Arabia hit its positions. The escalation comes after separatist forces, backed by the United Arab Emirates, seized large areas of Hadramawt and Mahrah provinces. No immediate casualties were reported from the air strikes.

In recent weeks, the STC has made significant territorial gains as it pushes for the revival of the formerly independent South Yemen. On Saturday, hundreds of Yemeni tribesmen gathered in Aden, urging STC leaders to declare independence. Footage aired by a separatist-affiliated channel showed crowds waving South Yemen’s independence flag alongside the UAE flag.

Analysts warned the situation could deteriorate rapidly. Farea al-Muslimi of Chatham House said the STC had crossed Saudi Arabia’s “red lines,” describing the public challenge to Riyadh as a serious provocation.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged restraint and continued diplomacy to reach a lasting solution. Meanwhile, Yemen’s government called on the Saudi-led coalition to take necessary military measures to protect civilians and support government forces in Hadramawt.

A Yemeni military official said around 15,000 Saudi-backed fighters were positioned near the Saudi border but had not yet been ordered to advance. The Houthis, who seized Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014, continue to control much of the north, adding to the complexity of the country’s long-running conflict.