Saudi Strikes Hit Yemen After STC Rift

 Saudi-led airstrikes in southern Yemen underline how fragile the country’s internal balance remains as rival power centers within the internationally recognized government clash openly. The strikes in Al-Dhale followed a sharp deterioration in relations between the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council and the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), centered on the actions of STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi. The episode illustrates the limits of coalition cohesion nearly a decade into Yemen’s war and exposes the risk of fragmentation in the south even as the northern front with the Houthis remains unresolved.

According to medical officials cited by AFP, at least 4 civilians were killed and 6 wounded when coalition aircraft struck targets in Al-Dhale province early Wednesday. Hospital sources at Al-Nasr and Al-Tadamon hospitals confirmed the casualties. The Saudi-led coalition said the operation was a “limited preemptive strike” conducted at 0400 hours, aimed at preventing an escalation driven by STC-affiliated forces.

Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said the strike followed coordination with Yemen’s “legitimate government” and the National Shield Forces, a formation aligned with the Presidential Leadership Council. “Following coordination with the legitimate government and National Shield Forces, the Coalition Forces conducted a limited preemptive strike … to disable those forces and thwart what Aidarous al-Zubaidi was aiming to accomplish, conflict escalation and spread into Al-Dhale Governorate,” he said.

Missed Flight, Missed Talks

The immediate trigger was al-Zubaidi’s failure to travel to Saudi Arabia for high-level talks. According to the coalition, he had been instructed on Sunday to fly to Riyadh within 48 hours to meet Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi and coalition officials. The agenda included clashes involving STC forces in Hadramaut and Al-Mahrah, two strategically important eastern provinces.

Al-Zubaidi later indicated he would attend and was scheduled to depart Aden on a Yemenia Airways flight on Tuesday. The plane was delayed for several hours, after which al-Zubaidi did not board. During that window, the coalition said it received intelligence indicating the STC leader had mobilized “a large military force, including armored and combat vehicles, heavy and light weapons and munitions,” moving overnight toward Al-Dhale.

The STC disputes the coalition’s account, saying al-Zubaidi remained in Aden and continued to perform his duties. That denial, however, did little to slow events on the ground as airstrikes followed within hours.

Southern Gains, Coalition Strains

The confrontation reflects deeper tensions in Yemen’s south. The UAE-backed STC, which seeks to restore an independent South Yemen, has expanded its footprint in recent weeks. In December, STC forces took control of large parts of Hadramaut and Al-Mahrah, provinces that together account for a substantial share of Yemen’s territory and coastline. Government forces were expelled after clashes, prompting alarm in Riyadh.

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council is itself a coalition of factions, including STC representatives, unified largely by opposition to the Iran-backed Houthis, who seized Sanaa in 2014 and still control most of northern Yemen. That uneasy arrangement has repeatedly come under strain, with Saudi Arabia backing Yemen’s territorial unity while the United Arab Emirates has supported southern factions, including the STC.

Those competing visions have fueled cycles of confrontation, with Al-Dhale—long a frontline between southern forces and the Houthis—again becoming a flashpoint.

“Patchwork Authority Under Pressure”

The latest strikes underscore how internal fractures, rather than front-line battles, increasingly shape Yemen’s security landscape. As the coalition balances between containing separatist ambitions and preventing a broader collapse of allied governance, the Al-Dhale episode highlights how quickly disputes over authority, territory, and command can turn lethal.

https://clashreport.com/defense/articles/saudi-strikes-hit-yemen-after-stc-rift-af913s68yhn