Aden: Yemen's Southern Transitional Council (STC) has announced its willingness to engage in coordination with Saudi Arabia to ensure shared interests. In a statement, the STC emphasized its openness to arrangements that prioritize the security, unity, and safety of southern Yemen, aiming to prevent any resurgence of security threats and fulfill the aspirations of the southern populace alongside mutual interests with Saudi Arabia.

According to Anadolu Agency, the statement followed a call from the Saudi Foreign Ministry for the withdrawal of STC forces from Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces in eastern Yemen. The STC has long argued that successive Yemeni governments have marginalized southern regions and advocated for secession from the north, a stance that the Yemeni government rejects.

The STC also expressed surprise over an alleged airstrike targeting the Hadrami Elite Forces, affiliated with the council, warning that such actions could hinder understanding and would not dissuade the southern people from pursuing their rights. The council reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Arab coalition countries to confront common challenges.

The airstrike, which was the first since the STC's recent military movements in eastern Yemen, targeted STC-affiliated forces in Hadramout, although no group has claimed responsibility. Since December 3, STC forces have seized control of parts of Hadramout following confrontations with the Hadramout Tribes Alliance and government-aligned First Military Region forces. Subsequent actions saw the STC expand their control to Mahra.

In response, a joint Saudi-Emirati military team has been dispatched to Aden to negotiate arrangements with the STC to ensure its forces return to their previous positions outside the provinces. The STC's takeover has sparked calls for withdrawal from both local and regional entities, as Hadramout and Mahra together cover nearly half of Yemen's territory, approximately 555,000 square kilometers.

The United Nations has issued warnings about the potential serious consequences of continued escalation, given Yemen's ongoing humanitarian and economic crises.