Saudi Arabia rejects the Southern Transitional Council's moves in Hadramawt and Al-Mahra

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressed its rejection of the recent military movements undertaken by the Southern Transitional Council in the governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, describing them as a unilateral escalation carried out without coordination with the relevant legitimate authorities. The Kingdom emphasized that these steps were taken without the approval of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council and without any prior coordination with the leadership of the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, thus violating the agreed-upon mechanisms for unifying the Yemeni ranks.

Saudi sources clarified that this unjustified escalation does not serve the interests of the Yemeni people, but rather directly harms the just cause of the South and undermines the ongoing efforts of the coalition to unify the internal front in the face of major challenges. The Kingdom stressed the necessity of the return of forces and military formations to their previous positions and adherence to the political process and peaceful solutions as the only option for ending the crisis.

Context of events and the importance of timing

These developments come at a highly sensitive time for Yemen, as international and regional actors, led by Saudi Arabia, seek to solidify the ceasefire and push for a comprehensive political solution. The governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra hold paramount strategic importance; Hadramawt is Yemen's largest governorate and its largest oil and geographical reserve, while Al-Mahra represents Yemen's eastern gateway, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia. These two governorates have historically remained relatively untouched by direct military conflict, making the transfer of tensions to them a highly risky move.

This escalation brings to mind the terms of the Riyadh Agreement and the Riyadh consultations that led to the formation of the Presidential Leadership Council in April 2022, whose primary objective was to unify all anti-Houthi factions and military forces under a single umbrella. Any military actions outside the framework of this council are considered to undermine its legitimacy and fragment military and political efforts.

Potential local and regional repercussions

Observers believe that the continuation of such unilateral actions could lead to serious negative repercussions on several levels:

• On the local level: This could ignite side conflicts within the anti-Houthi camp, giving the Houthi militias an opportunity to regroup and exploit divisions within the legitimate government.
• On a regional level: This escalation threatens border security and the stability of the eastern region of Yemen, which could hinder the flow of humanitarian aid and Saudi-led reconstruction efforts through the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen.

The Kingdom concluded its statement by affirming its continued full support for the Presidential Leadership Council and its constant concern for the security and stability of Yemen, renewing its call to all Yemeni parties to prioritize the supreme national interest and work diligently to reach a comprehensive political solution that ends the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people in accordance with the three agreed references.