The Yemen Review Quarterly: January-March 2026

Following a rapid military advance into eastern Yemen, forces affiliated with the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) were pushed out of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra in early January by Saudi airstrikes, Saudi-backed troops, and local tribal forces. STC leader and Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) member Aiderous al-Zubaidi reportedly fled into exile. All Emirati soldiers have now left the country, the STC has been officially dissolved, and other UAE-backed forces are being brought into the Saudi fold. Through a broad political and military restructuring, Riyadh is now seeking to remake the balance of power in the government-held Yemen, where it holds unrivaled sway for the first time since the war began. A new Yemeni government was announced on February 6, following weeks of contentious horse-trading. An agreement was reached for a 35-member cabinet, with portfolios distributed between the north and the south, but with specific seats reserved for eastern Yemen, underscoring its…