Saudi-led coalition airstrikes killed seven fighters from the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council in Yemen, escalating tensions between the two Gulf powers. The strikes targeted separatist positions in Hadramawt and Mahra provinces, following the council's recent territorial gains. While the UAE called for calm and announced its forces had withdrawn, Saudi Arabia insisted the operation aimed for a peaceful handover of military sites, though further air raids were threatened unless the separatists withdrew. The clashes highlight deepening divisions among Yemen's anti-Houthi factions and threaten to derail ongoing peace efforts, with the Southern Transition Council's advances raising fears of renewed calls for southern independence.