Saudi Arabia bombs Yemen port over weapons shipment to STC Abu Dhabi

Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen’s port city of Mukalla on Tuesday over what it described as a shipment of weapons for a separatist force there.

The attack signals a new escalation in tensions between the kingdom and the separatist forces of the Southern Transitional Council.

The internationally recognized leadership of Yemen later declared a state of emergency. It issued a 72-hour ban on all border crossings in territory they hold, as well as entries to airports and seaports, except those allowed by the Saudi Arabia

A military statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency announced the strikes, which it said came after ships arrived there from Fujairah, a port city on the UAE’s eastern coast.

“The ships’ crew had the disabled tracking devices aboard the vessels, and unloaded a large amount of weapons and combat vehicles in support of the Southern Transitional Council’s forces,” it said.