The suspension of flights from Aden International Airport on Thursday underscores how Yemen’s internal political rifts are increasingly disrupting civilian infrastructure. What appeared at first to be a technical halt in air operations quickly revealed deeper tensions between the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognised government. Reuters reported that all flights were suspended during the day, with no immediate clarity on timelines for resumption, placing Aden’s main air gateway at the center of a widening power struggle in southern Yemen.

The disruption reflects the fragility of arrangements between actors nominally aligned against the Houthi movement but divided over control of territory and institutions. Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition has sought to restore the Yemeni government after the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014. Nearly a decade later, competing agendas among coalition partners and local allies are increasingly visible, with Aden’s airport becoming the latest pressure point.

“Inspection Requirements” Disputed

At the heart of the dispute is a claim by the STC-aligned Transport Ministry within Yemen’s internationally recognised government that Saudi Arabia imposed new conditions requiring flights from Aden to undergo inspections in Jeddah. The ministry said it was “shocked” by the move, later adding that Saudi authorities clarified the measure applied only to flights operating between Aden and the United Arab Emirates.

Saudi officials rejected the accusation. A Saudi source told Reuters that Riyadh was not responsible for restricting flights and said the requirement was imposed by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which governs from exile and is backed by Saudi Arabia. Yemeni presidential adviser Thabet al-Ahmadi confirmed to Al Jazeera that the government had indeed imposed a requirement on one specific route, describing it as a measure to prevent STC-linked money smuggling. He said the government opposed a full suspension and wanted flights to continue “unimpeded.”

Coalition Fault Lines Exposed

The episode highlights the increasingly strained relations within the anti-Houthi coalition. The STC, which seeks an independent southern Yemeni state, has formally remained part of the Saudi-led alliance since 2015. However, in December it expanded military operations into Hadramout and al-Mahra provinces, both of which border Saudi Arabia, triggering a sharp escalation in tensions. Riyadh has accused the United Arab Emirates of backing and arming the STC, allegations Abu Dhabi has denied while insisting it supports Saudi security.

The UAE recently announced it would withdraw its remaining “counterterrorism” forces from Yemen, following what Saudi Arabia described as a strike on a UAE-linked weapons shipment in Mukalla. Despite the UAE pullback, the STC has refused demands from the Presidential Leadership Council and Saudi Arabia to withdraw from Hadramout and al-Mahra, entrenching its presence in the resource-rich and strategically sensitive regions.

Security and Governance at Odds

Yemen’s leadership has warned of consequences. On Wednesday, Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi said further STC entrenchment would have “severe consequences.” The STC responded defiantly, insisting it would remain. Its spokesperson, Mohammed al-Naqeeb, said the group was coordinating with the Homeland Shield forces, a Saudi-backed security formation previously dominant in the provinces.

The halt in flights, even if temporary and route-specific, illustrates how Yemen’s fragmented authority structure complicates governance nearly 11 years after the war began. Control over airports, borders, and transport corridors has become both a practical and symbolic marker of power. As Aden’s runways fell silent, the episode offered a stark reminder that Yemen’s conflict is no longer defined solely by the Houthi front lines, but by unresolved rivalries within the coalition meant to hold the country together.