Yemen Coast Guard detains four traffickers and seizes drugs, signaling a shift in regional power dynamics.
The Yemen Coast Guard, operated by the internationally recognized government (IRG), recently conducted a significant drug operation in the Bab el Mandeb Strait. According to a report by Aden-TV dated January 5, 2026, four smugglers were detained, and approximately a quarter ton of amphetamines and hashish was seized during the operation.
Recent drug and weapon seizures in the Bab el Mandeb region have largely been attributed to the coastal forces of the National Resistance Forces (NRF), led by Major General Tariq Saleh, who is supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Saleh is known for his ties to the Southern Transitional Council (STC). The announcement of this latest operation by the Yemen Coast Guard is viewed as a noteworthy development in the shifting balance of power on the ground.
In a post made by General Tariq Saleh on the NRF's X (formerly Twitter) account, there was no mention of the drug seizure operation. Instead, he emphasized the assistance provided by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, indicating that the NRF's current priority is ground operations aimed at retaking Sana’a from the Houthis. This situation suggests a shift in the NRF's primary allegiance from the STC to the IRG, while still attempting to maintain relations with both entities. Attributing the drug operation to the Coast Guard signifies an acknowledgment of the IRG's superior authority.
This development is expected to be welcomed by the UK and Saudi Arabia, who are leading a donor group focused on restructuring the Yemen Coast Guard. In November, the UK's Minister for the Middle East, Hamish Falconer, visited the Yemen Coast Guard facility in Aden and inspected the patrol vessel Aden (IMO: 4698611), built in 2011 with a gross tonnage of 200. While British aid contributes to the vessel's refurbishment, officials emphasized that this support is not a mandatory intervention but aims to enable the Yemen Coast Guard to gradually develop its own capacity.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
