Amid this, the STC made a rapid move in December 2025, seizing control of major cities in southeastern Yemen and ultimately coming to rule the entire south. Viewing this as an act of rebellion, the Saudi-led coalition bombed cities in southern Yemen on December 30, 2025, and UAE forces withdrew from the country. The Saudi-led forces then recaptured the southern region in early January.

The announcement of the STC’s dissolution took place on January 7, 2026, during a meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia, nominally convened to resolve the southern issue. However, although more than 50 members of the STC delegation attended the meeting in the capital Riyadh, the group’s leader did not appear; instead, he fled to the UAE via Somaliland, prompting the PLC to place him on a wanted list. As of the 11th, contact with the STC delegation that participated in the meeting had been cut off. In southern Yemen, the STC stronghold, voices are protesting that this decision to dissolve the organization is invalid, as it was made without the leader present and under Saudi surveillance and pressure, in an arbitrary manner.

The relationship between Saudi Arabia and the UAE—once aligned on interventions such as in Yemen—has been deteriorating in recent years. They have also intervened in Sudan, supporting the government forces and their rival organization, respectively. Their recurring confrontations via third countries are deepening the rift between them. Moreover, the UAE has long supported armed groups opposing central governments in places such as Somalia and Libya.

In addition, Oman, which borders Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, had until then maintained a neutral stance. However, when the STC’s military offensive in early December 2025 brought a threat to the border region with Oman, it signaled a willingness to cooperate with Saudi Arabia.

The STC flag flying at a checkpoint in southern Socotra, Yemen (2023) (Photo: Hardscarf / Creative Commons [ CC BY-SA 4.0 ])