Tensions within the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen have erupted into open conflict, after the alliance launched air strikes against its own former allies, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC).
Leader's No-Show Triggers Military Response
The dramatic escalation followed the reported failure of the STC's leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, to travel to Saudi Arabia for crucial peace talks. According to a statement from coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Malki on Wednesday, al-Zubaidi was due to take a flight to Riyadh but did not board the plane, while other officials from his council did.
Al-Malki stated that intelligence indicated al-Zubaidi had subsequently "moved a large force – including armoured vehicles, combat vehicles, heavy and light weapons, and ammunition" and had "fled to an unknown location." There was no immediate comment from the STC on these claims.
Pre-emptive Strikes Launched in Leader's Home Province
In response to the unfolding situation, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had undertaken what it called "limited pre-emptive strikes" in Yemen's southern provinces. The objective was stated as preventing the UAE-backed separatists from expanding the conflict.
Domestic and STC sources reported that more than 15 strikes targeted Abyan province, which is the birthplace of Aidarous al-Zubaidi. The military action marks a significant fracture in the anti-Houthi alliance, originally formed to combat the Iran-aligned group that seized the capital Sana'a in 2014.
Political Fallout and Charges of High Treason
The political repercussions were swift. The Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in Yemen moved decisively against al-Zubaidi. Chaired by Rashad al-Alimi, the PLC stripped al-Zubaidi of his membership and referred him to the public prosecutor on charges including high treason, as reported by the state news agency SABA.
The decision accused the STC leader of inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities, and committing abuses against civilians in southern Yemen. For years, the STC had been a contentious part of Yemen's internationally recognised government, with its ultimate goal being the secession of south Yemen.
This feud between the two key Gulf powers, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, exposes the deep fractures within the coalition and complicates the already devastating nine-year war in Yemen. The conflict has split the country into rival zones of control, with the Houthis remaining the dominant military force in the north and west.
