Why in News ?
- Saudi-backed National Shield Forces retook the port city of Mukalla and regained control of Hadramout province in Yemen after it was seized earlier by southern separatists.
- The development follows Saudi airstrikes and the withdrawal of forces aligned with the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC).
- Significance: reflects shifting power dynamics in Yemen’s civil war and the Saudi–UAE rivalry within the anti-Houthi bloc.
Relevance
GS-II | International Relations & West Asia Geopolitics
- Yemen civil war dynamics, Saudi-UAE divergence, proxy actors
- Security of Arabian Sea–Gulf of Aden region
GS-I | World Geography / Places in News
- Hadramout province, Mukalla port city, Arabian Sea littoral geography
Places in News
Hadramout (Hadhramaut) Province
- Largest governorate of Yemen (by area), located in the eastern part of the country.
- Borders: Saudi Arabia (N), Oman (E), Arabian Sea (S), Yemeni governorates to the west.
- Known for desert plateaus (Hadramawt valley) and historic trading towns.
Mukalla
- Capital of Hadramout province and a strategic port city on the Arabian Sea.
- Major coastal hub for trade, fishing, and logistics.
- Has previously been a stronghold for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) (2015–16 period — prelims-relevant).
