January 7, 2026 | 08:24 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Saudi-led coalition forces launched a series of airstrikes in Yemen's Dhale province on Wednesday, targeting the home region of Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC).
Al-Zubaidi was removed from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, formed in April 2022 after President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi of Yemen's internationally recognized government stepped down.
A fragile truce among Yemen's anti-Houthi factions was shaken in December when the STC began seizing territory.
Infighting between forces battling Iranian-backed Houthi rebels
Al-Zubaidi had been scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia with other council officials for crisis talks, but he never showed.
The council's chair, Rashad al-Alimi, accused al-Zubaidi of inciting armed rebellion, attacking constitutional authorities and committing abuses against civilians in southern Yemen.
The STC said he was in the southern port city of Aden overseeing military and security operations.
The STC also reported it had lost contact with its delegation that had gone to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for talks.
Who is involved in the fighting in Yemen?
- The Houthis: Ousted Yemen's government in 2014, control the capital Sanaa and Yemen's populous northern highlands. Backed by Iran
- Presidential Leadership Council: Leads the internationally recognized government of Yemen, backed by Saudi Arabia
- Southern Transitional Council (STC): Controls most of southern Yemen and seized land near the Saudi border. It is backed by the United Arab Emirates
- Islah Party: A Sunni Islamist faction tied to Muslim Brotherhood; stronghold in Marib
- National Resistance Forces: Led by Tarek Saleh, the force fights Houthis; opposes southern secession
- Hadhrami Elite Forces: Affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council
Saudi-UAE rift deepens
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in Yemen more than a decade ago after the Houthis captured the capital, Sanaa.
For years, the STC worked alongside the Saudi-backed internationally recognized government.
But the STC's sudden advance in December, taking control of resource-rich Hadramawt province, shifted the balance of power and raised Saudi fears of instability along its borders.
The latest tensions in Yemen have deepened strains between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, deepening rivalries over economics and regional politics.
Read: UAE to Withdraw Troops from Yemen After Saudi Strikes
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