Overview
- Saudi warplanes struck STC positions in Hadramaut after the Saudi-backed governor announced an operation to recover separatist-held camps.
- The STC’s leader declared a two-year transition toward southern statehood with a promised referendum, positioning the move as a response to mounting pressure.
- Saudi officials said naval forces were deployed across the Arabian Sea for inspections, while the Saudi ambassador accused the STC of blocking a mediation flight to Aden.
- Yemen’s CTS-aligned transport ministry said flights to and from Aden must route through Jeddah for inspection and reported suspensions on routes with the UAE, a claim not confirmed by Saudi authorities.
- The UAE confirmed it withdrew remaining forces from eastern Yemen and urged restraint, as reports on battlefield control and casualties diverged, with the STC citing at least seven dead and more than 20 wounded.