Initially, the UAE rejected such accusations and expressed confusion over the airstrikes, but later the country's Ministry of Defense announced the decision to voluntarily withdraw the remaining counter-terrorism forces from Yemen in light of recent events. In a video released by the coalition, it is claimed that the strikes targeted vehicles and weapons that came from unauthorized supplies.
This situation has led to a serious escalation in relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. In a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is emphasized that any threat to national security is a "red line," and the kingdom is prepared to take all necessary measures to eliminate it.
In response to the escalation, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) intensified its actions and seized several key provinces, including oil-rich Hadramaut, while also renewing calls for the secession of Southern Yemen. The Saudi-backed government claims that this only complicates the fight against the Iran-backed Houthis in the north of the country.
On the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, discussing the tensions in Yemen and regional security issues, according to a press release from the U.S. State Department.
More than a decade of conflict has made Yemen one of the countries facing the most acute humanitarian crisis: military actions have exacerbated the economic downturn and destroyed the social services system.
