Saudi Forces Mass on Yemen Border Amid Pressure on UAE-Backed STC to Withdraw from Hadramaut

Saudi-Backed Forces Mobilize Near Yemen Border

Approximately 20,000 Saudi-backed forces have reportedly massed on the border with Yemen, specifically in the al-Wadeeah and al-Abr areas. These forces, primarily drawn from the Saudi-funded National Shield militia, are positioned to exert pressure on the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC). The objective is to compel the STC to withdraw from significant territorial gains recently made in Yemen's eastern Hadramaut governorate.

The deployment comes amidst warnings from Saudi Arabia to the STC, including the possibility of direct airstrikes if the separatist group does not comply with demands for withdrawal. Saudi officials have visited Hadramaut, advocating for the STC's departure and a return to the previous security arrangements. Riyadh has also proposed an agreement that would see the STC relinquish control of oil fields to the Saudi-funded 'Dera Al-Watan' forces.

STC's Rapid Expansion in Resource-Rich Hadramaut

The current tensions stem from the STC's recent military offensive, dubbed 'Operation Promising Future,' which commenced in early December 2025. During this operation, STC forces rapidly seized control of key areas within Hadramaut, including the city of Seiyun, its airport, and vital oil fields such as Al-Masila. The STC's expansion also extended into the neighboring Al-Mahra and Abyan governorates, effectively bringing nearly all of what was formerly South Yemen under its control.

Hadramaut is Yemen's largest governorate, covering roughly one-third of the country's landmass and holding an estimated 80% of its oil reserves. Its strategic importance is further amplified by its location, linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea. The STC has reportedly rejected Saudi demands for withdrawal, asserting its control over the southern governorates and reiterating its long-standing goal of an independent South Yemen.

Diverging Interests and Regional Dynamics

This latest escalation underscores the complex and often diverging interests of regional powers in the Yemeni conflict. While both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are part of the coalition against the Houthi movement, their objectives in southern Yemen have increasingly diverged.

• The STC is primarily backed by the UAE, which has cultivated local militias and aims to secure influence along key maritime and commercial corridors.
• Saudi Arabia supports the internationally recognized government, the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), and allied tribal forces such as the Hadramaut Tribal Alliance and its own National Shield forces.

The UN Secretary-General has issued a warning that 'unilateral actions will not clear a path to peace' and risk deepening divisions, hardening positions, and leading to wider escalation and further fragmentation in Yemen.