December 30, 2025 | 06:41 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Yemeni government on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, canceled its defense agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and has called for the immediate withdrawal of all Emirati forces.
"All Emirati forces must withdraw from all Yemeni territory within 24 hours," said Rashad al-Alimi, Chair of the Presidential Leadership Council of Yemen, in a televised speech as reported by Anadolu.
The Yemeni government decided for the shipment of weapons by the UAE to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces in the southern region.
On the same day, Al-Alimi announced the commencement of a 90-day national state of emergency, accompanied by a 72-hour ban on air travel and ground movement at all ports and border posts.
Prior to this, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen launched a "limited" airstrike targeting two ships at the Mukalla Port in eastern Yemen.
In a statement broadcast by the official Saudi news agency, Coalition Forces spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki stated that two UAE ships arriving at the port on December 27-28 did not have official permission from the Joint Coalition Command.
The Coalition Forces stated that they acted at the request of Al-Alimi, "to take all necessary military actions to protect civilians in the Hadramawt and Al-Mahra provinces."
Al-Alimi warned last week that unilateral actions by the STC were pushing the country towards a dangerous critical point.
It is unclear whether there were any casualties from the attack or if any military other than the Saudi forces were involved. The Saudi military stated that the attack was conducted overnight to ensure "no collateral damage occurred."
The UAE did not immediately respond to requests for comments from AP, as cited by France24. The English-language newspaper related to Abu Dhabi, The National, reported on the airstrike.
The AIC satellite news channel, owned by the Council, acknowledged the attack, without providing details.
Attack Sparks Escalation
On Tuesday, the Chair of the Yemeni Presidential Council issued a decree announcing a 90-day state of emergency, including a 72-hour air, sea, and ground blockade.
The escalation followed the STC's occupation of several government institutions and airports in the Hadhramaut Province, following conflicts with local tribes over the control of oil fields.
Ignoring previous agreements with the Coalition, the STC launched a massive military campaign in early December, capturing the Hadramaut province along the Saudi border and the Al-Mahra province on the Yemeni border with Oman.
The UAE-backed STC forces seized the city of Seiyun, including the international airport and the presidential palace. They also took control of the strategic PetroMasila oil field, which contributes most of Yemen's remaining oil wealth. This occurred after clashes with forces of the Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance, who had been stationed at the site for over a year.
The clashes resulted in 12 casualties and injuries on both sides, according to local authorities.
As a result, PetroMasila, currently producing 85,000 to 90,000 barrels of oil per day, was forced to halt operations. PetroMasila is the national oil company owned by the Yemeni government.
The attack marks a new escalation in tensions between the Saudi-led coalition and the separatist forces of the Southern Transitional Council, supported by the United Arab Emirates.
The attack further worsens relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, who have supported rival factions in the decade-long Yemen war against Iran-backed Houthi rebels amid growing unease across the broader Red Sea region.
Both countries, although aligned on many broader Middle Eastern issues, are increasingly at odds with each other on regional economic and political matters.
Read: Saudi Arabia Bombs Yemen, Links UAE to Separatists' Advances
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