Tensions in Yemen lead to state of emergency following Saudi-led airstrike

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Tensions in Yemen lead to state of emergency following Saudi-led airstrike

2025-12-31 14:11 Last Updated At：01-01 12:56

Tensions in Yemen escalated on Tuesday as a Saudi-led coalition airstrike targeted the port of Mukalla in the southeastern oil-rich province of Hadramout.

The strike reportedly triggered a large explosion and fire in the port area, according to a Yemeni security official. Initial reports did not detail casualties or damage.

In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the coalition claimed the operation was a limited military action.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said that two vessels from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) entered Mukalla Port without authorization on December 27-28, with their tracking systems turned off. He alleged the ships unloaded weapons and military vehicles destined for the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a political and military group that advocates self-determination and the eventual independence of South Yemen.

The action was taken at the request of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) to protect civilians, said the coalition spokesman.

In response to the developments, Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of the Yemeni PLC, declared a 90-day nationwide state of emergency, extendable if necessary. He simultaneously imposed a 72-hour air, land, and sea blockade on all Yemeni ports and border crossings.

Al-Alimi also canceled a security pact with the UAE after the UAE-backed STC seized swathes of territory in Yemen's provinces of Hadramout and Al-Mahrah. He ordered the withdrawal of the forces from both provinces within 24 hours.

The UAE said its Defense Ministry had decided to end the deployment of its remaining counter-terrorism personnel in Yemen due to recent developments and operational considerations.

Despite the announcement of the emergency measures from Riyadh, life appeared normal in the southern port city of Aden, a major STC stronghold, according to a reporter from China Media Group.

Police deploy 24-hour drone patrols during football matches in south China's Shenzhen

Police in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province have deployed 24-hour drone patrols around the Shenzhen Sports Center to enhance public safety control during the 2026 Chinese Super League season.

The Shenzhen Xinpengcheng Football Club has officially made the Shenzhen Sports Center its home ground for the 2026 Chinese Super League season. Football matches have attracted more than 10,000 fans per match, leading to intense crowd density and severe traffic congestion, which places immense pressure on security.

Amid the excitement of tens of thousands, the calmest "guards" aren't in the stands, but stationed over 100 meters above, in the sky.

Before a match began, police officer Wang Yiyuan and two teammates would be already deployed with well-defined roles: one would pilot the drones, another would keep an eye on the spectrogram to monitor the drone activity, and the third would coordinate with other ground police via his walkie-talkie.

Just before the end of the second half, a sudden alert for crowd flow popped up at the south square, where a large number of spectators had begun to gather as they leave the site. As this area served as the only passage for leaving the stadium, the crowd pressure could easily lead to a stampede.

From the initial alert to the loudspeaker broadcast and then to the arrival of police reenforcements on the scene, it took Wang and his colleagues just three minutes to complete the communication, and the crowds began to disperse.