Saudi Forces Enter Yemen’s Shabwah Amid Escalating Tensions with UAE

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Saudi troops deployed into Ataq, the center of Yemen’s Shabwah province, on Saturday, according to details confirmed by a Yemeni source speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

This deployment is framed as part of a broader security and military mobilization by Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognized Yemeni government to reclaim influence across the southern provinces, particularly following recent escalations involving the UAE and factions supported by Abu Dhabi.

The source further confirmed that the Saudi forces swiftly took control of the strategic Marra base, located west of Ataq. This installation was previously garrisoned by separatist elements belonging to the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which had withdrawn from the area in January.

Marra base holds significant military importance, ranking as Yemen’s second-largest military installation after Al-Anad Air Base in Lahij Governorate. Shabwah, a resource-rich province, is strategically vital due to its substantial natural resources and the presence of two important seaports.

The region has previously been the site of violent clashes between forces aligned with Saudi Arabia and those supported by the UAE, underscoring the delicate power balance in southern Yemen.