Full Analysis Summary
Hadramawt offensive
Saudi-backed government forces pushed into Hadramawt province over the weekend and say they have retaken key sites in the oil- and resource-rich region.
They reported retaking Seiyun and the main military base and port city of Mukalla.
GujaratSamachar, citing Xinhua and anonymous local officials and residents, reports government troops entered Seiyun and secured full control after STC fighters withdrew from the airport and key state institutions.
France 24 and Kuwait Times also report pro‑Saudi forces retook Mukalla and seized the city’s principal military base as well as Seiyun airport and administrative buildings.
Al Jazeera’s video coverage similarly shows Saudi-backed forces advancing toward Mukalla and seizing new areas in Hadramout.
The reports underline that externally backed rival forces are contesting control across southern Yemen.
Coverage Differences
Narrative emphasis
GujaratSamachar (Other) focuses tightly on Seiyun and cites Xinhua’s account of government troops securing full control after STC withdrawal, while France 24 (Western Mainstream) and Kuwait Times (Other) stress simultaneous retaking of Mukalla and military facilities; Al Jazeera (West Asian) emphasizes front‑line video of advances rather than attributing a definitive claim of total control.
Source attribution
GujaratSamachar explicitly cites Xinhua and anonymous local sources for its Seiyun claim, whereas France 24 reports statements from government and STC officials and Kuwait Times references AFP reporting and residents — reflecting different sourcing approaches and levels of attribution.
Coalition air strikes and claims
The advance was accompanied by Saudi-led air strikes and warnings aimed at pushing back the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.
Multiple outlets report that the coalition launched strikes after the STC’s recent offensive.
Kuwait Times says the push came "after a wave of Saudi-led air strikes" and France 24 notes the coalition issued warnings and launched strikes including one on an "alleged Emirati arms shipment."
The New Arab and Firstpost report strikes on camps in Al‑Khasha and Barshid.
The STC says strikes on Al‑Khasha killed "20 people."
Firstpost cites STC officials telling AFP that the Al‑Khasha strike killed at least "seven people" and wounded more than 20, illustrating contested casualty counts and competing claims about specific strikes.
Coverage Differences
Contradiction (casualty figures)
STC statements (reported by Kuwait Times and The New Arab) claimed 20 dead at Al-Khasha, while Firstpost (Asian) reports STC officials told AFP the strike killed at least seven and wounded more than 20 — highlighting inconsistent casualty figures across reports.
Accusation vs. denial framing
France 24 and The New Arab report the coalition struck an "alleged Emirati arms shipment," framing accusations that UAE supplied weapons to the STC; other sources (e.g., AP) focus on Saudi accusations that the STC and its leader spurned de‑escalation, evidencing different emphases—one on the alleged arms link and another on political blame.
Mixed security reports, Yemen
Reports from the ground describe mixed security conditions, with some journalists and officials noting relatively little organized resistance as Saudi-aligned forces advanced.
Other sources, including residents and AFP correspondents, reported gunfire, clashes, looting and a breakdown of security in Mukalla and Seiyun.
Kuwait Times said the advance "encountered little resistance" even as an AFP reporter "heard gunfire and residents described a breakdown in security."
Türkiye Today and France 24 reported that tribal Hadramaut Protection Forces and National Shield units seized sites such as the presidential palace in Seiyun and pushed into Mukalla, while retreating fighters continued to resist in Seiyun.
Coverage Differences
Tone (resistance vs. little resistance)
Kuwait Times (Other) reports the advance "encountered little resistance," whereas Türkiye Today (West Asian) and France 24 (Western Mainstream) relay statements of active clashes, withdrawals and resistance in Seiyun — showing variance between a depiction of fast gains and portrayals of ongoing fighting.
Specific local detail
Türkiye Today includes granular local claims — e.g., tribal forces saying they seized the presidential palace to "protect it from any looting" and urging residents to avoid areas with STC fighters — details not present in broader international pieces which focus on overall territorial control.
Riyadh–Abu Dhabi rift
The operation deepened a diplomatic rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi and prompted political moves aimed at containing the fallout.
Multiple outlets noted that Saudi officials and the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council framed the STC offensive as a serious breach.
The BBC reports the PLC called the STC's offensive a 'rebellion' and cancelled a defence pact with Abu Dhabi.
The Associated Press quoted Saudi officials accusing the STC and its leader of spurning de-escalation.
The Guardian and South China Morning Post highlighted that the UAE announced a troop withdrawal after the coalition struck an alleged weapons shipment.
These developments underscore how the Saudi-UAE squeeze has become a major regional story.
Coverage Differences
Focus (diplomatic vs. military)
BBC (Western Mainstream) and AP (Western Mainstream) emphasize political fallout — PLC language, cancellation of pacts, and Saudi accusations — while The Guardian and SCMP (Western/Asian) foreground the UAE's reaction including a declared troop withdrawal after an alleged weapons‑shipment strike, reflecting a split between coverage centered on diplomacy and coverage centered on the Saudi‑UAE rift and troop movements.
Suggested remedies
Dhaka Tribune and BBC report Saudi calls for dialogue and a "comprehensive" Riyadh conference to bring southern factions together, presenting a diplomatic path emphasized by Riyadh that contrasts with immediate military moves reported elsewhere.
Risks from Yemen clashes
Analysts and regional outlets warn the clashes risk opening a new front and further fragmenting Yemen.
Mathrubhumi and The Straits Times flag concerns that renewed southern infighting could help Iran-aligned Houthis consolidate control in the north.
The New Arab and Defense Post highlight that shifting allegiances — including reports of Mahra forces 'lowering the separatist flag and raising Yemen's' — could reshape local balances.
Reporting across outlets varies in tone from hard, military-first accounts to cautionary political analyses.
Casualty and control claims remain contested across different sources.
Coverage Differences
Analytical emphasis
Mathrubhumi (Asian) and The Straits Times (Asian) emphasize the risk of a new front benefiting the Houthis and broader strategic consequences, whereas The New Arab (West Asian) accentuates the PLC’s framing of the recapture as a "record success" and reports on local allegiances changing (Mahra), reflecting differing priorities between strategic warning and regime‑oriented reporting.
Certainty vs. ambiguity
Some outlets present the recapture as definitive (e.g., The New Arab/PLC statements), while others, including BBC and Kuwait Times, emphasize ongoing uncertainty, clashes and contested claims — the coverage therefore mixes firm government claims with on‑the‑ground ambiguity.