Saudi Arabia has warned Yemen's separatist forces to withdraw peacefully from recently seized provinces, including Hadramawt and Mahrah. Riyadh stated it would support the Yemeni government in any military confrontation with the separatists, who are backed by the UAE. The warning follows reported Saudi air strikes on separatist positions and calls for restraint from Washington amid escalating conflict over territorial gains by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council.