UAE-Backed Forces Advance, Threatening Yemen's Fragile Stalemate

A military group supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has seized new territory in southern Yemen. The forces moved into parts of Hadramout, a province important for its oil resources. This advance risks reigniting major combat in Yemen's long-running civil war. The conflict had reached a relative stalemate in recent years. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) seeks independence for southern Yemen. Its push into Hadramout challenges the internationally recognized government, which is also an ally in Yemen's complex war. Observers warn the move could open a new front in the conflict. It threatens a fragile truce that has largely held since 2022. The war in Yemen began in 2014. It has caused what the United Nations calls one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.