Saudi Arabia Enforces Jeddah Inspections for Aden-UAE Flights

The transport ministry of Yemen has announced that Saudi Arabia has implemented new inspection protocols for international flights operating from Aden International Airport, raising concerns about aviation constraints in southern Yemen.

In a statement released on Thursday, officials indicated that all flights departing from or landing at Aden must first stop in Jeddah for inspections before proceeding. They termed this decision unexpected and noted that it disrupts long-standing aviation procedures.

The ministry is working alongside the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group with UAE backing. Local aviation authorities sought clarification from Saudi officials regarding the new requirements, learning that the inspections pertain specifically to flights between Aden and the UAE.

As of now, no formal justification has been publicized regarding this move. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE has made public statements addressing the decision or the rationale behind the inspections.

The transport ministry strongly condemned the new measures, decrying them as an “air blockade” that creates additional challenges for Yemeni travelers. They demanded the immediate retraction of the decision and a return to previous direct flight protocols.

This announcement comes at a critical juncture as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE have intensified recently. Although both nations are pivotal partners in the coalition involved in Yemen, differences have surfaced regarding economic interests and regional influence, especially in southern Yemen and along the Red Sea corridor.

The situation escalated last month when STC forces moved into eastern Yemen's Hadramout and Mahra governorates, assuming control over an oil-rich area, which displaced Saudi-supported National Shield Forces and further polarized coalition-aligned factions.

Yemen has been embroiled in civil conflict for over a decade, with Iran-backed Houthi forces dominating much of the northern territory and the internationally recognized government functioning from the south with assistance from Saudi Arabia. Concurrently, the UAE supports southern separatists aiming for the revival of an independent South Yemen, which existed from 1967 to 1990.

Amid escalating tensions, the United States has urged all parties to engage in dialogue to prevent further conflict. As part of peace initiatives, Saudi Arabia has called for the withdrawal of STC forces from disputed regions and for military installations to be handed back to local authorities.

Local leaders in Hadramout have reported that UAE-supported forces have started to withdraw from the al-Rayyan military base near Mukalla, including surrounding areas of the airport. However, observers caution that the situation remains delicate and subject to rapid shifts.

Analysts suggest that the new flight inspection regulations underscore deeper political and security tensions within the coalition and introduce fresh worries about stability, mobility, and governance in southern Yemen.