Saudi Arabia: A coalition headed by claims that a cargo that arrived at the Yemeni port included munitions and weapons

Saudi Arabia: Two ships carrying containers full of weaponry and ammunition were reportedly approaching the southern port of Mukalla, according to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.

In response to a statement by the United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry asserting that the shipment contained no weapons and was headed for Emirati forces, coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki wrote on X that the ships entered the port without obtaining entry permits from the Coalition Command or the Yemeni government, according to Xinhua news agency.

The UAE moved the ships and cargo to Al-Rayyan Base without informing Saudi Arabia, Turki Al-Maliki said. Before entering Yemeni national waters, both boats turned off their monitoring and identifying systems, and upon arrival, examinations showed that the containers were filled with munitions and weapons.

The containers were supposed to be transported and distributed to several locations in Yemen’s oil-rich Hadramout province, which borders Saudi Arabia and where the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) has recently increased its military presence, he said the coalition had confirmed information about.

Earlier in the day, the Coalition Command acknowledged carrying out a “limited military operation” in Mukalla. Saudi media said that there were no victims or collateral damage from the attack. The strike does, however, represent a major escalation between the two Gulf governments.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister, spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the phone Tuesday about the most recent events in Yemen and the Gaza Strip amid escalating tensions.

The UAE official reiterated during the conversation that the nation is dedicated to working closely with the US and other allies to help bring about enduring peace in the area.