Saudi-UAE Forces Begin Displacement of Socotra Residents Amid Strategic Military Build-up

Observers have raised alarms over an unfolding Saudi-Emirati plan to displace residents of Yemen’s occupied Socotra Island, reportedly under humanitarian pretenses. Recently, 280 Socotra residents were transferred to Hadhramaut, with Saudi forces citing health treatment needs as the reason. However, analysts argue that this move is part of a broader strategy to depopulate the Socotra Archipelago and transform it into a military hub aligned with American and Israeli interests in the region.

Reports indicate that the UAE, in coordination with Israel, has been establishing joint military and intelligence facilities across Socotra’s islands, accelerating these developments over recent years. These efforts are seen as part of a wider alliance under U.S. backing, with additional Gulf states reportedly involved.

The UAE’s growing control over the strategic archipelago is viewed as a critical foothold for intelligence and military operations, raising significant concerns about the region’s stability and the displacement of its indigenous population.