Yemen’s southern independence movement announced on Friday their plan to hold a referendum on secession from the north within two years. Meanwhile, forces backed by Saudi Arabia launched an operation to reclaim key areas that the southern separatists took control of last month—areas whose capture has intensified regional tensions among Gulf nations.
The Southern Transitional Council (STC), supported by the UAE, issued a statement indicating their intention to hold a referendum on independence, marking a potential move toward secession. This stance may be perceived by Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Saudi allies as an escalation of the ongoing crisis. The announcement came shortly after the government confirmed it had initiated an operation, aided by Saudi military support, to retake Hadramout province, a vital region recently seized by the STC.
December’s unexpected push by separatists dramatically shifted Yemen’s power landscape, exposing divisions within the regional coalition fighting the Houthis and highlighting tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Decades of conflict have left Yemen divided between the northern highlands controlled by Iran-backed Houthi forces and the south, supported by Gulf nations under the internationally backed government.
Historically regional allies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s interests have increasingly diverged—from oil quotas to geopolitical strategies. Neither the Yemeni government nor Saudi officials responded immediately to the STC’s declaration. Reports surfaced that Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council leader, Rashad al-Alimi, requested Saudi Arabia host a forum to address the southern issue, including all factions, even the UAE-backed separatists. Saudi officials welcomed this initiative, urging southern factions to participate.
In related developments, the governor of Hadramout announced an operation to regain control of the province, claiming their forces had taken over a key military outpost, with both local tribes and the STC confirming air support for the operation. The region’s cultural and historical significance to Saudi Arabia, due to its border proximity and tribal ties, underscores the gravity of its seizure by the separatists.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates announced Saturday that it had completed withdrawing all military personnel from Yemen, following a previous decision to end special counter-terrorism missions. That withdrawal was part of a broader disagreement with Saudi Arabia, which had called for the UAE to leave quickly. While this move temporarily eased tensions, disagreements on the ground persist, complicating efforts to stabilize the conflict and impacting OPEC’s oil production decisions.
Flight operations remain suspended at Aden International Airport—a critical transit point outside Houthi-controlled areas—as blame continues to be exchanged between the STC and Saudi Arabia over the shutdown, which was linked to new restrictions imposed by Yemen’s recognized government on flights between Aden and the UAE. The situation reflects ongoing fractures within the region amid broader geopolitical rivalries.
