The move marks a sharp rise in tension between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, two long time partners now drifting into open disagreement.

According to Saudi officials, the weapons were delivered to forces linked to the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist group backed by the UAE. The kingdom described the shipment as a direct threat to stability and said it had no choice but to act.

In a rare and firm warning, Saudi Arabia said the UAE’s actions were ‘extremely dangerous,’ signaling growing anger over Abu Dhabi’s role in Yemen’s shifting battlefield.

Saudi state media reported that two ships arrived in Mukalla from Fujairah, a major port on the UAE’s eastern coast. The vessels were accused of turning off their tracking systems before unloading weapons and armored vehicles.

Saudi officials said the airstrike was carefully timed to avoid civilian harm and focused only on military equipment. It remains unclear whether there were casualties.

The UAE did not immediately comment on the strike, while media linked to the Southern Transitional Council confirmed that explosions had occurred near the port.

The attack highlights growing cracks in the Saudi UAE alliance, which has long fought together against Yemen’s Iranian backed Houthi rebels. While both countries once shared the same goals, they now support rival forces on the ground.

The Southern Transitional Council has recently seized key areas in eastern Yemen, pushing out Saudi backed troops. Its supporters have openly raised the flag of South Yemen, calling for a return to the separate state that existed before 1990.

Analysts say the Mukalla strike was not just about weapons, but about sending a message. ‘This was a warning shot,’ said one regional expert. ‘Saudi Arabia is drawing a line and saying, this far, and no further.’

Following the airstrike, Yemen’s anti Houthi government declared a state of emergency. It announced an end to cooperation with the UAE and ordered Emirati forces to leave its territory within 24 hours.

Authorities also closed border crossings, airports, and seaports under their control, allowing access only with Saudi approval.

The crisis comes at a time of wider instability across the Red Sea region. Saudi Arabia and the UAE also back opposing sides in Sudan’s ongoing war, adding another layer of rivalry.

At the same time, Israel’s recent recognition of Somaliland has raised alarms among the Houthis, who have threatened to target any Israeli presence there.

As alliances shift and old partners clash, the strike on Mukalla shows how quickly cooperation in the Middle East can turn into confrontation and how fragile the balance of power has become.