Wide Security Alert in Hadramout After Yemeni Army Downs Three Drones

Mukalla — A state of heightened military and security alert swept Hadramout province in eastern Yemen after air defense systems belonging to the Yemeni army intercepted and shot down three unidentified drones flying over strategic sites on Saturday.

A senior military source in the Second Military Region said defense systems detected the drones as they penetrated airspace in the Khallaf area, east of Mukalla, the provincial capital. The drones were reportedly hovering near government facilities and sensitive sovereign sites, prompting immediate military action to neutralize any potential threat.

Local authorities have refrained from issuing an official statement, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attempted drone incursion. The incident comes just 48 hours after a similar attempt targeted the residence of Presidential Leadership Council member and Hadramout governor Salem Ahmed al-Khanbashi, also using drones.

The episode has revived concerns over the vulnerability of Yemen’s oil-rich Hadramout, where drone and explosive attacks have previously disrupted crude exports. In 2022, similar strikes forced a complete halt to Yemen’s oil shipments, depriving the state of its most vital revenue source and deepening the country’s economic crisis.

The latest incident underscores both the persistent security challenges in Yemen’s eastern provinces and the broader economic risks tied to instability in the Red Sea region.