The Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen has made a significant accusation against its former ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), alleging that Abu Dhabi facilitated the escape of prominent Yemeni separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi. Al-Zubaidi, who heads the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), was recently expelled from Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council and faces high treason charges for his actions, including attempting to establish an independent southern state and engaging in armed insurgency. According to a statement from Saudi Major General Turki al-Malki, al-Zubaidi absconded from Aden late on January 7 by boat, traveling to Berbera in Somaliland. From there, he allegedly boarded an Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft, reportedly under the supervision of UAE officers, flying to Mogadishu, Somalia, before continuing to a military airport in Abu Dhabi. The coalition's statement even named a UAE major general involved in the alleged operation. This incident marks a severe escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, two key Gulf powers who were once staunch allies in the Yemen war against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. However, their partnership has fractured due to diverging interests and support for competing factions within southern Yemen. The Saudi allegations were accompanied by an organized media campaign, including 'WANTED' posters of al-Zubaidi in Saudi state media. As of the latest reports, the UAE has not issued an immediate official response to these claims, while the STC initially maintained that al-Zubaidi remained in Aden. This development significantly deepens the diplomatic crisis and further complicates the already volatile conflict in Yemen.