Saudi Arabia derided the move as a "coup" and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his "concern" that "such unilateral actions only exacerbate instability in Yemen." Not all governorates accepted the STC's power grab, however, and fighting broke out between the STC and Saudi-backed forces on the island of Socotra. On Saturday, the two sides reached a de-escalation agreement, but the STC appears to hold onto its grip on Aden, where protests against its de facto rule erupted that same day.

The move is not an isolated incident. Since January 2018, the separatists have frequently put the unity of the anti-Houthi coalition to the test by taking over control of government institutions and territory in the south.