Saudi Arabia has issued a rare and forceful public warning to Emirati-backed separatists in Yemen, calling on them to withdraw from two strategically vital southern governorates. The move exposes growing tensions inside the fragile Saudi-UAE coalition battling Iran-aligned Houthi rebels — and raises fears of a new internal confrontation that could further destabilise the war-torn country. As separatist forces push deeper into Hadramout and Mahra, Riyadh is urging restraint, warning that escalation risks harming Yemeni civilians, undermining the anti-Houthi campaign, and triggering “undesirable consequences.” Meanwhile, the Houthis bury senior commanders reportedly killed in U.S. airstrikes, continue threatening regional shipping, and detain aid workers amid renewed instability.