Yemen’s leader says Saudi-led coalition formally asked to counter STC military moves

Coalition warned that any military movements that violate mediation efforts will be dealt with

A fighter from the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Aden. AFP

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad Al Alimi said the government had formally asked the Saudi-led coalition to take “immediate measures” to counter recent military moves by the Southern Transitional Council.

Mr Al Alimi said the request was submitted following recommendations by Yemen’s National Defence Council and was "swiftly approved" by the coalition’s Joint Forces Command.

“Based on this joint co-ordination, any military movements that undermine de-escalation efforts or endanger civilians will be dealt with directly,” Mr Al Alimi said, according to state media.

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The STC, which calls for the restoration of an independent state in the south, recently took control of Hadhramaut and Mahra from other pro-government forces, effectively consolidating control over all southern provinces.

It said the move came after what it described as the failure of other pro-government factions and Yemen's PLC “to launch” any serious campaign to push the Houthis from their northern strongholds, including Sanaa, Yemen's capital. Three of the PLC’s eight members are affiliated with the STC, highlighting the deep fractures within Yemen’s anti-Houthi camp.

Mr Al Alimi said the measures were aimed at protecting lives, supporting Saudi- and Emirati-led mediation efforts, and ensuring the withdrawal of STC forces from the two provinces. The UAE has been a key member of the coalition since its creation in 2015.

Saudi Arabia, which hosts senior Yemeni government and PLC figures, has condemned the STC’s takeover. It said it was carried out without co-ordination with the anti-Houthi coalition it leads in the country. The UAE welcomed Saudi efforts to stabilise the situation.

Houthi soldiers patrol in Sanaa. EPA

A warning from the Saudi-led coalition followed unconfirmed reports of strikes on STC positions in Hadhramaut. Coalition spokesman Brigadier General Turki Al Malki said any military action that undermines de-escalation efforts would be met directly.

“Any military movements that violate these efforts will be dealt with at the appropriate time, with the aim of protecting civilian lives and ensuring the success of Saudi-Emirati efforts,” he said, citing “grave and shocking” humanitarian violations against civilians attributed to STC-affiliated elements.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khaled bin Salman, in a message addressed to Yemenis, urged the STC to respond to mediation efforts and withdraw peacefully from the two provinces.

He said the kingdom viewed the southern cause as a legitimate political issue that must be addressed through dialogue, not force, warning that recent events had fractured ranks against Yemen’s common enemy and undermined years of sacrifices made to restore the state.

“The time has come for the Southern Transitional Council to prioritise wisdom, the public interest and unity, by responding to mediation efforts and handing over camps to state forces,” Prince Khaled said.

International concern has also grown. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was alarmed by developments in Yemen, urging restraint and continued diplomacy "with a view to reaching a lasting solution,” Mr Rubio said on X, praising Saudi and Emirati leaders for their diplomatic efforts.

The latest crisis underscores the fragility of Yemen’s already fractured political landscape, with infighting among anti-Houthi forces threatening to further complicate efforts to stabilise the war-torn country and defeat the Iran-backed rebels who have controlled the capital Sanaa and northern regions for a decade.