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Aerial bombings occur against the backdrop of an escalating divide between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which supports groups battling Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition conducted multiple air strikes in Yemen’s Dhale region on Wednesday, focusing on the area where Aidarous al-Zubaidi, head of the UAE-supported Southern Transitional Council (STC), is based.

Al-Zubaidi was excluded from Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which was established in April 2022 following the resignation of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi from the internationally recognized government of Yemen.

A fragile truce among Yemen’s anti-Houthi factionswas unsettled in December when theSTC began seizing territory.

Conflict among groups fighting Iranian-supported Houthi rebels

Al-Zubaidi was supposed to travel to Saudi Arabia along with other council members for discussions on the crisis, but he did not appear.

The head of the council, Rashad al-Alimi, alleged that al-Zubaidi encouraged armed uprising, targeted constitutional institutions, and engaged in mistreatment of civilians in southern Yemen.

The STC mentioned that he was in the southern port city of Aden, supervising military and security activities.

The STC also stated that it had lost communication with its delegation, which had traveled to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for discussions.

Who are the parties engaged in the conflict in Yemen?

The Houthis:In 2014, the deposed Yemeni government controlled the capital city of Sanaa and the densely populated northern highlands of Yemen. Supported by Iran.Presidential Leadership Council:Guides the globally acknowledged government of Yemen, supported bySaudi Arabia. Southern Transitional Council (STC): Controls a large portion of southern Yemen and has taken territory close to the Saudi border. It is supported by theUnited Arab Emirates. Islah Party:A Sunni Islamic group associated with the Muslim Brotherhood; base of operations in Marib.National Resistance Forces:Led by Tarek Saleh, the group fights against the Houthis; it is against southern secession.

Saudi-UAE rift deepens

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates became involved in Yemen over ten years ago when the Houthis took control of the capital, Sanaa.

For many years, the STC collaborated with the government that was acknowledged worldwide.

But the STC’s rapid movement in December, gaining control over the resource-laden Hadramawt province, altered the balance of power and sparked concernsConcerns in Saudi Arabia regarding unrest near its borders.

The most recent conflicts in Yemen haveintensified tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, long-standing competitors in terms of economics and regional politics.

Edited by: Wesley Rahn

Author: Louis Oelofse (with AFP, AP, Reuters)