Flights at Yemen’s Aden International Airport have been suspended, according to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Thursday. Passengers gathered at the terminal seeking information as operations came to a halt. The suspension followed escalating tensions between the UAE-backed STC and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Channel AIC reported that Saudi Arabia halted both domestic and international flights at Aden airport, effectively suspending all operations. The airport primarily handled flights to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, operating under STC authority as part of a power-sharing arrangement with the Yemeni government, condemned the Saudi decision.

The ministry stated it had received a memorandum from the Saudi-led coalition instructing that all international flights must first stop in Jeddah for inspection before proceeding to their destinations. It expressed dismay over the move, though Saudi authorities later clarified that the restriction applied only to flights between Aden and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen has declared a state of emergency after a separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) took control of large parts of the country. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the head of Yemen’s Presidential Council, who also declared the cancellation of the country’s security and defense agreement with the UAE.

According to an official statement, the joint defense pact with the UAE has been formally revoked. The information was confirmed by AFP from Riyadh. In a separate decree, a 90-day state of emergency was imposed, with the first 72 hours including a blockade of air, land, and sea routes as part of emergency measures.

The decisions mark a significant shift in Yemen’s security and diplomatic stance following the territorial advances of UAE-backed separatists, signaling heightened internal instability and strained regional relations.

The United Arab Emirates has announced the withdrawal of its remaining troops from Yemen, citing recent Saudi-led coalition airstrikes and escalating tensions in the country’s southern region. The decision follows a demand from Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which gave the UAE 24 hours to remove its forces. The UAE Defense Ministry said the move was made voluntarily, considering the impact of current conditions on the safety and effectiveness of its counterterrorism mission, and that coordination with partners would ensure troop security during the process.

Earlier, Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council chairman Rashad al-Alimi canceled the joint defense agreement with the UAE, imposed a 90-day state of emergency, and restricted all border crossings for 72 hours. The developments came after coalition airstrikes targeted two UAE-linked ships at Mukalla port, which reportedly entered without authorization. Yemen’s government accused the vessels of transporting weapons to the Southern Transitional Council, further complicating the security situation.

The UAE’s withdrawal marks a significant shift in the coalition’s dynamics and could affect ongoing operations in southern Yemen.

Yemen’s Houthi movement has issued a strong warning to Israel following its recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. On December 26, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland, a self-declared republic that separated from Somalia in 1991. The move drew sharp condemnation from Somalia and several Muslim-majority nations, as well as statements from the European Union, African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Arab League.

Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi declared that any Israeli presence in Somaliland would be treated as a military target, describing it as aggression against Somalia and Yemen and a threat to regional security. He warned that the consequences of Israel’s decision would be serious, calling it a hostile act toward Somalia, Yemen, and countries along both shores of the Red Sea.

Somaliland, strategically located along the Gulf of Aden, has long sought international recognition and maintains its own currency, passport, and armed forces.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has requested military assistance from the Saudi-led coalition to protect civilians and restore peace in the country. The request was made following an emergency meeting of the National Defense Council. According to Al Arabiya, Rashad al-Alimi, president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), made the appeal on Friday, stating that such support is necessary to safeguard ordinary citizens and stabilize the nation.

Since 2015, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have controlled the capital Sanaa and roughly half of Yemen, while the PLC governed the remaining areas recognized internationally as Yemen’s legitimate government. However, in early December, the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized control of most of these territories. Saudi Arabia urged the STC to withdraw, but the group instead strengthened its positions.

Tensions escalated after Saudi forces launched airstrikes in Hadramaut, Yemen’s largest southern province, which along with Al-Mahra province, remains under STC control. Saudi Arabia warned that continued STC dominance could deepen divisions and allow Houthi forces to exploit the situation. The Yemeni president has called on the STC to relinquish control of both provinces.

A Houthi-run court in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, has sentenced 17 people to death for allegedly spying for Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. According to Houthi-controlled media reports cited by The Times of Israel, the Specialized Criminal Court found the defendants guilty of participating in a spy network linked to foreign intelligence agencies. The court ordered execution by firing squad. Additionally, one man and one woman received 10-year prison terms, while another defendant was acquitted. Defense lawyer Abdul Basit Ghazi said the verdicts could be appealed. The charges included communicating with enemy states between 2024 and 2025, gathering intelligence under the direction of foreign agencies such as Mossad, inciting citizens, and aiding hostile forces, which allegedly led to deadly attacks and infrastructure damage. The crackdown on alleged espionage intensified following the reported killing of Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Galeb Nasser al-Rahabi in an Israeli strike.

Abdul-Malik Badruddin al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, has accused the United States, Israel, and their allies of killing nearly three million innocent Muslims in various Islamic countries over the past twenty years. Speaking at Yemen’s Martyrs’ Remembrance Week ceremony on Tuesday, al-Houthi said these deaths reflect the oppressive policies of Western powers aiming to subjugate Muslim nations. He claimed that America itself has admitted responsibility for mass killings, most of the victims being from the Islamic Ummah. The Houthi leader condemned Israel’s ongoing siege and starvation tactics in Gaza, emphasizing that such actions have failed to break Muslim resistance. He asserted that martyrdom is a symbol of strength and protection from humiliation. Al-Houthi also criticized Western efforts to mentally manipulate and enslave Muslim societies through colonization, violence, and psychological warfare.

A missile attack struck an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, igniting a massive fire aboard the vessel, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center. The incident occurred about 210 kilometers east of Aden while the ship, sailing under the flag of Cameroon, was en route from Sohar, Oman, to Djibouti. Maritime security firm Ambrey reported that the crew issued a distress call from about 60 nautical miles south of Yemen’s Ahwar coast, with rescue operations currently underway. Although the Houthi rebels have not claimed responsibility, the attack follows a series of similar strikes on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea. Ambrey noted that the targeted tanker was not among the vessels usually attacked by the Houthis. Investigations into the cause and source of the missile are ongoing.

Hezbollah’s Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem has criticized the U.S.-proposed Gaza ceasefire plan, calling it “dangerous” and an Israeli political maneuver disguised as peace. Speaking at a memorial event in Lebanon on October 4, Qassem alleged that Israel aims to achieve through diplomacy what it failed to secure through military aggression, genocide, and blockade. He said the plan represents Israel’s broader “Greater Israel” project, which he claimed includes not only Gaza and the West Bank but also parts of Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Qassem urged people across the region to resist this plan, warning it would eventually affect everyone. He emphasized that the final decision on the U.S. proposal rests with Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups, asserting their right to determine the appropriate response. Qassem’s remarks come amid growing tensions over international efforts to end the Gaza conflict and shape post-war governance.

Yemen’s Houthi-controlled military responded decisively to Israeli airstrikes on Sana’a, killing at least 8 and injuring 142. Using hypersonic “Palestine-2” ballistic missiles, Yemeni forces targeted sensitive sites in the Israeli-occupied Jaffa region. The operation, launched in response to ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, signals Yemen’s commitment to defending Gaza and its own territory. Authorities warned that civilian and military vessels in the Red and Arabian Seas must identify themselves, or risk becoming targets as Yemen continues its military campaigns.

Yemen’s air defense system has successfully intercepted multiple Israeli air raids over the capital, Sana’a, preventing significant damage and civilian casualties. Local sources report that Israel used 20 fighter jets and naval missiles, targeting power plants and residential areas. The Yemeni defense forces forced enemy aircraft to retreat before completing bombing missions. Hospitals confirm at least eight civilian deaths and 48 injuries, while eyewitnesses describe widespread panic and property damage. Israel admits Yemen’s resistance has proven difficult to overcome.

Israel launched massive airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killing at least eight people and injuring 142 others. According to the Israeli military, dozens of warplanes took part, targeting Houthi command centers and other sites.
Houthi officials, however, claimed that residential areas were hit, destroying multiple buildings. Rescue operations are underway amid the rubble.
The strikes followed a drone attack by the Houthis on Israel’s Eilat city on Wednesday, which left several Israelis injured.

Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s capital Sana’a and Al-Jawf province have left at least 35 people dead and 131 injured, according to Yemen’s health ministry. Officials fear the death toll could rise as many remain trapped under rubble.

The strikes damaged residential buildings in Sana’a’s Al-Tahrir area, a medical center, and a government compound in Al-Hazm. Rescue workers are battling flames and attempting to pull survivors from the debris.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said surface-to-air missiles were used to repel the attacks, forcing several Israeli aircraft to retreat before deploying their weapons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the strikes were retaliation for Houthi drone attacks on Ramon Airport.

A Yemeni drone strike targeted Ramon Airport in Israel’s southern city of Eilat, according to reports citing Israeli media. The drone hit the airport’s passenger terminal, leading to the suspension of all flights and causing panic among Israelis. Social media images showed smoke rising from the site, while some Israeli sources reported at least two injuries. Fire service teams were deployed to the scene. Yemeni authorities have not yet issued any statement regarding the attack.

Technology giant Microsoft has reported internet disruptions following multiple submarine cable cuts in the Red Sea affecting the Middle East and South Asia. Azure cloud services experienced slowdowns, though general internet traffic remained mostly unaffected. NetBlocks confirmed connectivity issues in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, UAE, and India, causing reduced speeds and occasional disconnections. Pakistan Telecommunications warned users of potential peak-hour slowdowns while international partners work on solutions. The incident began on September 6 at 5:45 AM GMT.