An escalation in Yemen threatens to reignite civil war and widen tensions in the Gulf

"DOHA, Qatar Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla on Tuesday, targeting a shipment of weapons from the United Arab Emirates for separatist forces a significant move in a country located along a key international trade route that threatens to bring new risks to the Persian Gulf region. The UAE later said it would withdraw its forces from Yemen. The secessionist Southern Transitional Council, STC, a group backed by the United Arab Emirates, this month seized most of the the provinces of Hadramout and Mahra."

"Yemen has been mired for more than a decade in a civil war that involves a complex interplay of sectarian grievances and the involvement of regional powers. The Iran-aligned Houthis control the most populous regions of the country, including the capital Sanaa. Meanwhile, a loose regional coalition of powers including Saudi Arabia and the UAE has backed the internationally recognized government in the south. The war has created a humanitarian crisis and shattered the economy."

Saudi forces struck Mukalla to target a UAE shipment of weapons bound for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), after which the UAE announced it would withdraw its forces. The STC seized much of Hadramout and Mahra, including oil facilities. The war began in 2014 when Houthis took Sanaa, prompting Saudi and UAE intervention in 2015. Iran-aligned Houthis control the most populous regions while a regional coalition backs the internationally recognized government in the south. The conflict has produced a humanitarian crisis, devastated the economy, and recent separatist moves threaten a fragile stalemate and regional trade routes.

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