The Saudi-led military coalition has announced a large-scale military operation in Yemen aimed at containing the country’s ongoing instability and suppressing the activities of separatist groups. The announcement was made on Tuesday (December 30), according to a report by Saudi Arabia’s state news agency SPA.
The report said the operation will focus on the strategically important Mukalla port and surrounding areas in Hadramout province in southeastern Yemen. As part of the operation, civilians in the affected areas have been instructed to immediately evacuate to safer locations to ensure the protection of lives and property. The Saudi-led coalition said the warning will remain in effect until further notice.
In a statement, the coalition said the primary objective of the operation is to halt the armed activities of the United Arab Emirates–backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) and to reassert state authority in Yemen.
Since early December, Yemen’s southern regions have witnessed dramatic shifts in power. The STC has taken control of large swathes of southern Yemen. After driving Saudi-backed government forces out of the strategically vital city of Aden, the group expanded its influence into the Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces.
Against this backdrop, Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, requested urgent military intervention from the Saudi-led coalition. Analysts say the announcement of the operation following his appeal is highly significant.
Regional observers warn that the operation could add a new dimension to the Yemen crisis and further expose tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE-backed factions. At the same time, there are growing concerns that the situation for civilians could become even more complicated.
Source: Arab News, Reuters.