By Haifa Chairunisa
Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged all parties involved in the Saudi-Yemeni conflict to exercise restraint following Saudi Arabia’s bombing of Yemen’s Mukalla port on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
In a statement posted on its official X account, @Kemlu_RI, the ministry called on all sides to avoid unilateral actions that could further undermine security and stability in Yemen. Indonesia also emphasized the importance of resolving the conflict through an inclusive and comprehensive political dialogue under United Nations coordination.
The ministry said it appreciated efforts by all parties to maintain stability and security, stressing that such conditions are essential for achieving a peaceful settlement. It added that any peace process must respect Yemen’s legitimate government and preserve the country’s territorial integrity. Indonesia also expressed concern that escalating tensions could worsen security conditions and deepen the suffering of the Yemeni people.
The statement followed reports that Yemen’s UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) had carried out unilateral military operations and made territorial advances in the eastern governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahrah, moves that have heightened tensions and threatened Yemen’s security environment.
Saudi Arabian Joint Forces Command spokesman Major General Turki al-Maliki said the airstrike on Mukalla port was conducted after intelligence confirmed weapons shipments passing through the facility. According to al-Maliki, 80 vehicles loaded with firearms had entered the port and were later transferred to Al-Rayyan Base, a UAE military base in Yemen, after port workers were evacuated.
Al-Maliki said the shipment involved 10 UAE nationals and accused the transfer of escalating the conflict. He added that Saudi Arabia had informed the UAE that the import and transfer of the weapons were unacceptable, but the warning was ignored. While the logistics vehicles were later returned to Mukalla port, the weapons reportedly remain at Al-Rayyan Base.
“Before dawn, we carried out a military operation in Mukalla port to prevent casualties and property damage, in accordance with the rules of conflict,” al-Maliki said.
Earlier reports indicated that the STC had launched an offensive to seize Hadramawt following clashes with factions allied with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. The STC also controls the southeastern province of Al-Mahrah, which borders Oman. Hadramawt, Yemen’s largest and resource-rich region, has close ties to Saudi Arabia.
The Financial Times reported that some analysts suspect a link between the STC’s actions and recent regional tensions, including differing Saudi and UAE positions on the conflict in Sudan. While the UAE has denied allegations of supplying weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, Saudi Arabia is widely viewed as backing the Sudanese Armed Forces, the RSF’s main rival.
Original article
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