Saudi-led coalition launches 'limited' airstrike against 2 ships at Yemen's Mukalla port
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Tuesday launched a "limited" airstrike targeting two ships at the Mukalla port in Yemen, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The strike followed an evacuation warning urging civilians to leave the Mukalla area ahead of military operations. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the targeted vessels allegedly delivered “a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles” to forces linked to the Southern Transitional Council, which is backed by the United Arab Emirates.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki said the ships docked without permits and had disabled their tracking systems before unloading the cargo. He stated that the weapons posed a threat to Yemen’s security and stability.
BIG: Saudi airstrikes hit Yemen’s Mukalla Port, targeting ships from the UAE carrying armored vehicles and weapons for UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatists.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) December 30, 2025
Tensions between Saudi-backed and UAE-backed forces have escalated sharply after pro-UAE forces… pic.twitter.com/ExPP78VVTz
“This is aimed at ensuring the success of the Kingdom’s and the coalition’s efforts to achieve security and stability and prevent the conflict from spreading,” al-Malki said, emphasizing the need for “de-escalation and enforcing calm in the governorates of Hadramout and Mahra.”
Later the same day, Yemeni President Rashad al-Alimi announced a nationwide state of emergency.
“Today, Tuesday, a decision was issued to declare a state of emergency in all territories of the republic starting from Tuesday, December 30, 2025, for 90 days, which can be extended,” the statement said.
The decree orders all military formations in Hadramout and Mahra to coordinate with the Saudi-led coalition, return to their bases, and hand over sites to armored forces. It also imposes a 72-hour air, land and sea ban on all ports, except those authorized by the coalition.
The developments reflect ongoing tensions between Yemen’s internationally recognized government and southern separatist forces, while the attack signals a further escalation involving the Southern Transitional Council, backed by the United Arab Emirates, within the broader conflict.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Thailand and Cambodia presented differing accounts of an incident involving unmanned aerial vehicles along their shared border, days after a ceasefire agreement came into effect following weeks of clashes.
