Riyadh: The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's legitimacy announced that it carried out limited pre-emptive strikes in Yemen's Al-Dhalea governorate to maintain security and protect civilians.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki stated that the strikes were conducted at dawn following intelligence reports indicating movements by armed forces linked to the Southern Transitional Council (STC). These movements reportedly involved tanks, armored vehicles, and heavy weapons with the intent of escalating tensions and destabilizing security in Aden and surrounding areas.
Al-Maliki further explained that the coalition had previously invited STC leader Aidarous Al-Zubaidi to Riyadh for urgent talks with Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi to address recent escalations in Hadramout and Al-Mahrah. Despite an STC delegation departing Yemen, Al-Zubaidi did not travel to Riyadh and instead went into hiding, as per the statement.
The coalition reported that the pre-emptive strikes effectively disrupted the armed forces' activities in Al-Dhalea, preventing further conflict escalation. It emphasized its ongoing coordination with Yemen's government and local authorities to bolster security efforts and urged civilians to steer clear of military sites and report any suspicious activities to security forces.