Yemen’s Houthi rebels have vowed to continue fighting but say the year ahead may present an opportunity for change.
Tension escalated this week between members of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) as Saudi Arabia struck armoured vehicles in the southern port of Mukalla. It was followed by the UAE announcing the withdrawal of all its remaining counter-terrorism teams from the country.
Experts said divisions within Yemen’s ruling council have not only put the future of the governing body at risk, but have also opened the door for others to gain, including the Houthis and other extremist groups.
“The end of the coalition and Saudi Arabia remaining alone at the forefront is a notable development that marked the end of the past year,” claimed Houthi senior official Mohammed Abdul Salam in a post on X.
“It has confirmed the failure of betting on the continuation of aggression and the blockade, which will only result in further losses. For those who reflect and understand, the new year presents an opportunity to address the various files arising from the Saudi-American aggression Yemen has faced in recent years,” he added.
Saudi Arabia has led the anti-Houthi alliance since 2015, with the UAE playing a key role in halting the advance of the Iran-backed rebels, expelling them from the south and combating extremist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks the restoration of an independent southern state, recently took control of Hadhramaut and Mahra from other pro-government forces, effectively consolidating its grip over all southern governorates.
The group said the move followed what it described as the failure of other pro-government factions to launch a serious campaign against the Houthis in their northern strongholds, including the capital Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia, which hosts senior Yemeni government and PLC figures, condemned the STC’s takeover.
On Friday, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed bin Saeed Al Jaber, said the kingdom had spent weeks working with the STC to defuse tension and secure the withdrawal of its forces from camps outside Hadhramaut and Mahra.
He added that these efforts were repeatedly "rebuffed" by STC leader Aidarous Al Zubaidi, most recently through his refusal to approve a permit for a Saudi aircraft carrying an official delegation to Aden on January 1, 2026.
Mr Al Jaber accused Mr Al Zubaidi of ordering the closure of Aden International Airport, while expressing hope that more “pragmatic voices” within the STC would prevail. The STC denied ordering the closure of the airport.
Southern forces played a significant role in driving Houthi fighters out of southern Yemen, particularly in Aden, Lahj and parts of Abyan, during the early years of the war between 2015 and 2018.
Those battles prevented the Houthis from consolidating control over the south after their advance from Sanaa and allowed the internationally recognised government to re-establish a foothold in Aden. The STC later emerged as a political umbrella for many of the southern forces involved in those campaigns.
“After a year filled with many challenges and sacrifices, there are further challenges and opportunities that the nation must confront,” wrote Mr Abdul Salam.
The Houthi official added that the rebels “have not forgotten their internal struggle and the obligations,” warning that “the blockade … represents a major obstacle to any efforts seeking humanitarian or political solutions to the overall situation.”
