RIYADH/ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi-led coalition has conducted a "limited" military operation targeting weapons and combat vehicles unloaded at the port of Mukalla in Yemen's southeastern Hadramout province, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Coalition spokesman Turki Al Maliki said two ships arriving from the port of Fujairah entered Mukalla on Saturday and Sunday without obtaining authorization from the coalition's Joint Forces Command.
He said the vessels' crews disabled their tracking systems and unloaded a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles to support the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Hadramout and Al-Mahra in eastern Yemen.
Al Maliki described the move as a clear violation of the de-escalation measures and efforts towards a peaceful solution, and the UN Security Council Resolution 2216 of 2015.
The operation was conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules, ensuring that no collateral damage occurred, he said.
Al Maliki added that the coalition leadership remains committed to de-escalation and maintaining calm in Hadramout and Al-Mahra.
He added that the coalition seeks to prevent any military support by foreign countries to any Yemeni faction without coordination with Yemen's legitimate government and the coalition, to ensure security and stability and prevent the conflict from spreading.
The reported attacks come amid heightened military escalation in Hadramout, where Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have warned of possible military action following the STC's refusal to withdraw its forces from the governorate.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition called on all civilians to immediately evacuate the port of Mukalla to ensure their safety, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.
Mukalla, the capital of Hadramout governorate, is a key port city on Yemen's southeastern coast, with strategic and economic value. ■
