UAE deploys drones in escalating Hadramout confrontations

HADRAMOUT, Dec. 29 (YPA) – The armed factions affiliated with the UAE launched on Monay a new stage of military escalation in eastern Yemen, for the first time deploying drones in attacks on the areas of Ghayl Bin Yamin and Al-Shahr of Hadramout province.

Local sources familiar with the matter Hadramout said the drone strikes targeted the homes of military and civilian commanders linked to the Saudi-backed Hadramout Tribal Alliance (HTA), as well as mountain positions controlled by its fighters.

The escalation came two days after ships carrying weapons from the UAE had arrived at the port of Mukalla.

According to the sources, the clashes were expected to worsen in the coming days amid the continued refusal of the UAE-backed factions to comply with Saudi demands for withdrawal, indicating an attempt to impose a fait accompli on Riyadh and the Saudi-backed Aden government.

Earlier this week, some sources also reported the presence of Israeli officers at the Mukalla Airport, allegedly coordinating the military operations of factions allied with the UAE in eastern Yemen.

The clashes have escalated significantly since Riyadh announced last Friday its military intervention following a request from the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, to confront UAE-backed factions in the region.

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