Saudi Arabia Says Yemeni Separatist Leader Went into Hiding

“The Daily Baku” reports that, a Saudi-led coalition spokesperson said intelligence indicated that al-Zubaidi had mobilised significant military forces, including armoured vehicles and heavy weapons, prompting concerns of escalation. Shortly afterward, coalition forces carried out what they described as limited, pre-emptive air strikes in his home province to prevent further expansion of the conflict.

Following these events, Yemen’s Saudi-backed presidential council removed al-Zubaidi from his official post and referred him to prosecutors on charges including high treason and incitement of armed rebellion. The STC has not immediately responded to the accusations.

The episode highlights growing tensions within the coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Once allies within the internationally recognised government, Saudi Arabia and the UAE now back rival factions, deepening divisions in a country already fractured by years of war.