Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi has issued a presidential decree ordering the United Arab Emirates to withdraw all its military forces from Yemen, cancelling the joint defense agreement between the two sides.
According to the decree, all Emirati forces and personnel must leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours. The decision also instructs National Shield Forces to move in and take control of all military camps in the eastern provinces of Hadhramout and Al-Mahra.
Al-Alimi further declared a nationwide state of emergency for a period of 90 days, renewable if necessary. The decree imposes a comprehensive air, sea, and land blockade on all ports and border crossings for 72 hours, with exceptions only granted by official authorization from the leadership of the Saudi-led coalition.
The order stresses the need for full coordination between local forces in Hadhramout and al-Mahra and the coalition command, instructing them to return to their original positions without engaging in any clashes. All military sites are to be handed over to National Shield Forces, while governors of both provinces have been granted full administrative authority to manage local affairs during the transition.
The Southern Transitional Council, which is backed by the UAE, accused Saudi Arabia of targeting civilian infrastructure. Its vice president, Hani bin Breik, described a Saudi strike on the port of Hadramout as an attack on civilians and a violation of international humanitarian law.
In a post on X, Bin Breik said the bombing of a civilian port constituted a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law,” stressing that civilian facilities are legally protected and that the port represents a vital economic lifeline for residents and traders.
Earlier at dawn, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had carried out an airstrike targeting what it described as external military support at the Port of Mukalla, in southern Yemen. Additionally, Al Mayadeen sources said the weapons hit in the strike had arrived at the port from the UAE and included both heavy and medium arms.
The Saudi-led coalition said its airstrikes specifically targeted military supplies and weapons offloaded from two ships arriving from the UAE, which were delivered to STC forces. The strikes come amid escalating tensions between Saudi-backed factions and separatist forces in southern and eastern Yemen.
A Yemeni government source told RIA Novosti that Rashad Al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), visited Saudi Arabia in recent days to address the growing crisis. The talks focused on the STC’s takeover of Hadramout 's government institutions, including Al Mukalla airport, and the broader implications of the separatists’ conflict with local tribes over oil resources.
Earlier this month, STC-affiliated forces seized control of PetroMasila’s oil fields in Al Masilah, following clashes with the Hadramaut Tribal Alliance, which had been stationed there for over a year. The fighting resulted in 12 casualties, including both killed and injured, according to a local government source.
Since December 2, 2025, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has launched a broad military push across southern and eastern Yemen, rapidly advancing into large parts of Hadramout, marking one of its most significant expansions in recent years.
Most recently, between December 16 and 22, 2025, the STC rejected calls from Yemeni and regional actors to withdraw from Hadramout and al-Mahra, while senior figures discussed steps toward establishing a parallel administrative structure, signalling a deepening push toward de facto separation.
On December 15, 2025, the STC announced a new military operation in Abyan province, with its Security Belt Forces saying the campaign aimed to disrupt militant supply routes, further entrenching the group’s security and military footprint.