SAUDI warplanes reportedly struck forces in southern Yemen today that are backed by the United Arab Emirates, according to a separatist leader. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The attack comes as a Saudi-led operation attempts to take over camps of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), in the governorate of Haramout that borders Saudi Arabia.

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE rose after the STC moved last month into Yemen’s governorates of Hadramout and Mahra, and seized an oil-rich region.

The move pushed out forces affiliated with the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces, a group aligned with the coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Meanwhile, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen accused the head of the STC of blocking a Saudi mediation delegation from landing in the southern city of Aden.

The STC deputy and former Hamdrmout governor, Ahmed bin Breik, said in a statement that the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces advanced toward the camps, but the separatists refused to withdraw, apparently leading to the air strikes.

Salem al-Khanbashi, the governor of Hadramout who was chosen today by Yemen’s UN-recognised government to command the Saudi-led forces in the province, called the current operation “peaceful.”

“This operation is not a declaration of war and does not seek escalation,” Mr Khanbashi said in a speech aired on state media.

“This is a responsible pre-emptive measure to remove weapons and prevent chaos and the camps from being used to undermine the security in Hadramout,” he said.

The Saudi-led coalition now demands the withdrawal of STC forces from the two governorates as part of de-escalation efforts. The STC has so far refused to hand over its weapons and camps.