Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council Seizes Key Oil Region, Seeks U.S. Partnership Against Iran-Backed Houthis
ADEN, Yemen — Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) has declared control over all eight southern governorates, including vital oil-producing regions, signaling a significant shift in the country’s fractured power landscape. The STC, a separatist movement backed by the United Arab Emirates, is now positioning itself as a key partner for the United States in countering the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control much of northern Yemen.
Ahmed Atef, the STC’s representative to the United States and the United Nations, emphasized in an exclusive interview that the council is eager to expand cooperation with Washington across military, diplomatic, and economic spheres. “All kinds of support are welcome,” Atef said, expressing hope for stronger ties with the U.S. government. “President Trump is very courageous and very strong, and we are really looking forward to his support.”
The STC’s rise comes amid Yemen’s protracted civil war, which has devastated the country and drawn in regional powers. Since its formation in April 2017, the STC has sought to revive the independent South Yemen state that existed from 1967 until unification with the north in 1990. With Emirati funding and military backing, the STC has consolidated its hold over southern Yemen, including the strategic port city of Aden and the oil-rich governorates of Hadramawt and al-Mahra.
Last week, the internationally recognized Yemeni government called on the STC to withdraw from recently seized territories in the southeast, underscoring the ongoing tensions between the two factions. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a dangerous escalation, cautioning that unilateral advances risk deepening divisions and destabilizing regional security, particularly around the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Experts note the complexity of U.S. policy in Yemen. Bridget Toomey, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that supporting southern secession would conflict with the U.S. commitment to Yemen’s internationally recognized government. However, she added that cooperating with the STC on counterterrorism and combating Houthi forces might not contradict official policy, given the STC’s role within Yemen’s current governing framework.
The conflict in Yemen remains deeply divided, with the Houthi movement controlling Sanaa and much of the north, backed by Iran and allied with Hezbollah, while the STC dominates the south. The Houthis have been the target of U.S. military airstrikes aimed at curbing their advances and disrupting their Iranian support networks, as documented by the U.S. Department of Defense. The STC’s control over southern oil fields adds a new dimension to the conflict, potentially influencing regional energy markets and security dynamics.
As Yemen’s humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, with millions facing famine and displacement, the shifting alliances and territorial control underscore the fragile and volatile nature of peace prospects. The STC’s overture to the United States reflects a broader strategic contest in the Middle East, where local factions seek international backing to bolster their positions.
Washington’s response to the STC’s call for partnership will be closely watched by regional and global actors. The U.S. has historically supported the Yemeni government while conducting operations against terrorist groups such as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which also operate in southern Yemen. The STC’s emergence as a potential frontline ally against Iran-backed Houthis could reshape American engagement in the region.
For now, the STC’s consolidation of southern Yemen marks a new chapter in the country’s fractured conflict, with implications for regional security, energy supplies, and the ongoing humanitarian emergency. The international community, including the United Nations and the U.S. Department of State, continues to monitor developments closely, urging restraint and dialogue amid fears of further escalation.
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