The Saudi-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government announced on Friday the launch of a military operation aimed at confronting the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the oil-rich southeastern province of Hadramout, according to provincial authorities and official statements.

Hadramout Governor Salem Ahmed Saeed al-Khunbashi, aligned with the Yemeni government, said the operation will focus on reclaiming control over strategic military positions and security installations from STC forces that have resisted calls to withdraw from the province. The government insists that the STC must fully pull its forces out to avoid a full-scale confrontation, accusing the separatists of seeking to seize control of Hadramout’s resources and undermine national unity.

The STC, a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been in de facto control of significant swathes of southern Yemen since early December 2025, including key cities and oilfields in Hadramout and neighbouring Al-Mahra governorates. The group claims its actions are aimed at restoring security, countering terrorism, and protecting local interests in the south, even as the internationally recognized government denounces their activities as a threat to Yemen’s stability.

In response to increasing friction, Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have warned the STC against unilateral military moves in Hadramout that could destabilize the region and derail broader efforts to restore peace after years of devastating civil war. Riyadh has repeatedly called for a peaceful withdrawal of STC forces, but with limited compliance on the ground.

The escalating crisis has also exposed deepening tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, historically allied in Yemen’s civil war. Recent events saw the UAE begin withdrawing its remaining troops from Yemen, underscoring the growing diplomatic rift between the two Gulf powers over their support for different Yemeni factions.

The security situation in Yemen remains highly volatile: Aden International Airport was forced to halt operations in recent days amid disputes over aviation controls between Yemen and the UAE-aligned STC, further complicating movement and humanitarian access within the fractured country.

As the government escalates its operation in Hadramout, international observers and regional players continue to call for restraint and dialogue. The conflict, already a complex front in Yemen’s prolonged civil war, now risks sparking open confrontation between rival southern forces and government troops, raising fears of a broader destabilization in the financially and strategically crucial southeastern region. (ILKHA)