Saudi Arabia has backed a demand from Yemen's presidential council for the United Arab Emirates to withdraw within 24 hours, after a Saudi-led coalition bombed what it said was a weapons shipment for UAE-backed separatists at the port of Mukalla.
The Saudi foreign ministry accused the UAE of pressuring the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks independence for southern Yemen, to launch recent offensives in the eastern provinces of Hadramawt and al-Mahra.
The kingdom would take measures to confront what it considers such highly dangerous actions, it warned.
The UAE's foreign ministry denied that the shipment contained weapons and expressed deep regret at the Saudi statement.
It strongly condemned the allegations that it exerted pressure on, or directed, any Yemeni party to carry out military operations that would undermine the security of the sisterly kingdom of Saudi Arabia or target its borders.
The STC's leaders also said the ultimatum for the withdrawal of the UAE's forces had no legal basis, insisting they would remain a main partner in the battle against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, which controls much of north-western Yemen.
Earlier on Monday, the head of the eight-member presidential council - which includes STC representatives - announced that he was cancelling a joint defense pact with the UAE and ordering its forces to leave in the interest of safeguarding the security of all citizens, affirming commitment to Yemen's unity, sovereignty, stability, and territorial integrity.
Rashad al-Alimi also declared a state of emergency for 90 days, which he said was necessary to confront the Houthis and what he described as the internal strife led by mutinous military elements that received orders from the United Arab Emirates.
Alimi's announcement came after the spokesman of the Saudi-led coalition - which includes the UAE - stated that it had conducted a limited air strike on weapons and military vehicles belonging to the STC's forces in Mukalla, which reportedly arrived on ships from the UAE.
The shipments were characterized as an imminent threat and escalation that threatens peace and stability, according to Maj-Gen Turki al-Maliki.
An official at the port noted that a warning to evacuate was received prior to the air strike, which resulted in the destruction of military vehicles with no reported casualties.
The UAE foreign ministry stated it was surprised by the coalition's actions, insisting that the shipment contained no weapons and was intended solely for Emirati forces in Yemen.
This development follows earlier calls by the Saudi-led coalition for the STC's forces to withdraw peacefully amidst rising tensions in Hadramawt and al-Mahra, where the STC has launched military offensives.
Yemen continues to be engulfed in a civil war that started in 2014, escalating in 2015 when the Saudi-led coalition intervened to restore the internationally recognized government. The conflict has led to significant loss of life and widespread humanitarian crises in the region.
