Saudi Warplanes Kill Seven UAE-Backed Yemeni Separatists in Eastern Yemen
Saudi warplanes killed seven fighters from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in eastern Yemen, targeting the al-Khasah camp in Wadi Hadramaut. More than 20 others were wounded in the strike. This marked the first fatal coalition attack on the STC since the group seized large areas of Hadramaut and Mahra last month.
The STC described the Saudi campaign as a decisive and existential war against Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces, framing it as a struggle against radical Islamism. An STC official accused Riyadh of misleading the international community by labeling the operation peaceful when it was not. Additionally, a spokesman noted that seven airstrikes occurred within minutes.
Hadramaut governor Salem al-Khanbashi stated that the operation was not a declaration of war but aimed to peacefully and systematically hand over military sites, denying that it targeted any political or social group.
The incident comes amid ongoing Saudi–UAE tensions over Yemen. The UAE has announced plans to withdraw its remaining troops in Yemen following a prior strike on an Emirati weapons shipment. Saudi ambassador Mohammed al-Jabir said the STC blocked a Saudi delegation from landing at Aden airport. Meanwhile, the STC transport ministry reported that Saudi demands for security checks on UAE flights were being imposed, leading to no flights arriving or departing at Aden airport for more than 24 hours.
