Yemen Separatists Declare Independence as Saudi Arabia Bombs Former Allies
Finn's Take· TL;DR- Saudi-backed forces bombed UAE-aligned separatists who control southern Yemen's oil-rich provinces, fracturing their decade-long anti-Houthi coalition.
- Southern Transitional Council declared independence for South Yemen after seizing Aden and controlling 90% of populated southern territories.
- UAE withdrew all troops from Yemen as Saudi Arabia views STC's territorial expansion and oil reserves as a security threat.
Gulf Allies Turn Enemies in Yemen's Latest Crisis
A dramatic fracture has emerged within the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's civil war, as Saudi warplanes bombed camps and military positions held by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Hadramout province on Friday . The strikes mark an unprecedented escalation between two Gulf allies who have spent nearly a decade fighting together against Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Seven people were killed and more than 20 wounded when seven air strikes hit a camp in al-Khashaa , according to STC officials. The bombing came after STC-linked fighters seized control of two southern provinces from Saudi-backed forces and took over the Presidential Palace in the south's main city, Aden last month.
The conflict escalated further when Yemen's separatist movement on Friday announced a constitution for an independent nation in the south, with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council depicting the announcement as a declaration of independence . STC head Aidarous al-Zubaidi said he has started the clock on a two-year "transitional period," after which he would hold a referendum on independence for South Yemen .
Oil-Rich Territory at the Heart of the Dispute
By December, STC forces were estimated to control 90–95% of the populated areas in the former South Yemen, in addition to holding at least 80% of Yemen's proven oil reserves . The separatists have seized large swathes of Hadramaut and neighbouring Al-Mahra — two resource-rich provinces that together make up nearly half of Yemen's territory and border Saudi Arabia and Oman .
Saudi Arabia views this expansion as a direct threat. Riyadh has warned that it views the STC's growing presence in these provinces as a threat to its national security . The kingdom has accused the UAE of arming the separatists, leading to a complete breakdown in their partnership.
Following earlier Saudi strikes on what it said was a UAE weapons shipment, Yemen's Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi gave Emirati forces 24 hours to leave the country . The UAE confirmed on Friday that its last soldiers had left Yemen , ending years of military cooperation.
Coalition Fractures as Civil War Enters New Phase
The crisis represents a fundamental shift in Yemen's decade-long conflict. Saudi Arabia and the UAE and their allies have all been part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who control the north, with the professed goal of restoring the internationally recognized government . Now that coalition appears to be collapsing from within.
Tensions between the factions and the two Gulf nations appear to be unraveling the coalition, threatening to throw them into outright conflict and further tear apart the Arab world's poorest country . The UAE has maintained it is "committed to dialogue, de-escalation" while Saudi Arabia has called for all parties to participate in a forum to find solutions.
The separatist movement's independence declaration could fundamentally reshape the Middle East's most devastating conflict. With the STC controlling vast oil wealth and strategic territory, Yemen faces the prospect of formal partition for the first time since its 1990 unification. The outcome will test whether diplomatic solutions can prevent another front opening in an already fractured region where proxy conflicts between regional powers continue to exact devastating human costs.