Saudi Arabia says it bombed Yemen’s port city of Mukalla over a shipment of weapons for a separatist force that arrived from the United Arab Emirates. The attack signals an escalation in tensions between the kingdom and the Emirates-backed Southern Transitional Council. It further strains ties between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, which had been backing competing sides in Yemen’s decade-long war against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Anti-Houthi forces later declared a state of emergency and blocked border crossings into territory they hold. The UAE called for “wisdom and restraint” while disputing Riyadh’s allegations. It later said it would withdraw its troops from Yemen.
