2025-12-30T09:55:52+00:00
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Shafaq News– Sanaa (Updated at 13:42)
Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chief Rashad
Al-Alimi on Tuesday revoked a joint defense agreement with the United Arab
Emirates, ordering Emirati forces to withdraw from Yemeni territory within 24
hours.
The agreement, formed under the Saudi-led coalition
that intervened in 2015 to support Yemen’s internationally recognized
government against the Houthis (Ansarallah) movement, had allowed Emirati
forces to operate in southern and eastern Yemen on counterterrorism, port
security, and support missions in coordination with coalition partners.
In a statement, Al-Alimi framed the decision as a
measure to protect civilians, preserve national unity and sovereignty, and
address security threats linked to the Houthis’ insurgency that began in 2014,
while directing the Saudi-backed Dera’ Al-Watan (Nation’s Shield) Forces to
assume control of military camps in Hadramout and Al-Mahra.
الرئيس : الدولة ستواجه بحزم كل من يهدد السلم الأهلي ووحدة البلاد https://t.co/WOKEZoVp1J
— د/ رشاد محمد العليمي (@PresidentRashad) December 30, 2025
Recent actions by the Southern Transitional Council in
the two provinces risk escalation, he warned, accusing the UAE of “fueling
instability and weakening state institutions.” While praising Saudi Arabia’s
de-escalation efforts, Al-Alimi criticized alleged unauthorized weapons
deliveries to Mukalla port, vowing that any rebellion would be addressed
through constitutional and legal channels.
Within hours, council members aligned with the UAE issued a joint
statement rejecting the decision as a “clear breach” of the power-transfer
framework governing the Presidential Leadership Council. Those taking
unilateral steps, they warned, would be held accountable for the resulting
political fallout, urging a “correction of course” and a return to
consensus-based partnership to “prevent further deterioration.”
Earlier today, Al-Alimi declared a nationwide state of
emergency starting December 30, 2025, for 90 days with the option of renewal.
The decree expanded the authority of Hadramout and Al-Mahra governors, mandated
coordination with Dera’ Al-Watan Forces, and ordered a 72-hour closure of air,
sea, and land ports, excluding coalition-approved movements.
The Yemeni government, in a statement, also endorsed
the measures as “lawful responses” to rising tensions in the eastern provinces.
It welcomed the Saudi-led coalition strike at Mukalla port, characterizing it
as “limited and precise” to prevent unauthorized military support and avoid
port militarization that could threaten regional and international maritime
security.
Authorities cautioned that unilateral STC deployments
and weapons transfers outside official channels undermine de-escalation
efforts, national cohesion, and economic recovery, urging the group to withdraw
from Hadramout and Al-Mahra, hand over sites to local authorities and Dera’
Al-Watan Forces, and halt all escalatory actions.
بيان || الحكومة تؤيد قرارات رئيس مجلس القيادة الرئاسي وتثمن المواقف التاريخية والثابتة للمملكة العربية السعودية. pic.twitter.com/luFGN46J64
— رئاسة مجلس الوزراء اليمني (@Yemen_PM) December 30, 2025
Separately, Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of backing
the STC’s moves and endangering Yemen’s stability, with the Saudi Foreign
Ministry warning that Emirati pressure on STC units to operate near the
kingdom’s southern border poses a direct “threat” to Saudi national security.
Riyadh described the developments as “inconsistent”
with coalition principles, calling on Abu Dhabi to comply with the withdrawal
demand and end assistance to armed groups outside state control. Southern
grievances, it added, should be addressed through inclusive political dialogue
involving all Yemeni parties, including the STC.
#Statement | Pursuant to the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 25/12/2025 corresponding to 5/7/1447 regarding the Kingdom’s concerted efforts, working with the brotherly United Arab Emirates, to end and contain the escalatory steps taken by the Southern… pic.twitter.com/lTyU0gLgpf
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) December 30, 2025
Earlier the same day, the coalition announced an
operation at Mukalla port targeting weapons and armored vehicles, it said
arrived from the UAE without authorization, with spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki
stating the action was carried out at the request of Yemen’s Presidential
Leadership Council to protect civilians in Hadramout and Al-Mahra.
Al-Maliki reported that two vessels from Fujairah
entered the port without approval, disabled tracking systems, and unloaded arms
and vehicles for STC forces in breach of de-escalation commitments, adding that
no casualties or collateral damage were recorded.
The strike followed prior warnings for civilians to
evacuate the port and notices that unauthorized STC movements would be
targeted, with local media reporting fires at the site.
