South24 (Aden) After one day, as the Saudi-led Arab coalition prevented prominent leaders of the Southern Transitional Council STC from traveling to their homeland in South Yemen, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen Muhammad Al Jaber, confirmed in a tweet on Twitter, that "Leadership and members of the STC are well respected and appreciated on all levels in the #Kingdom."

"The Kingdom is also working diligently with parties of the Riyadh Agreement on its implementation to achieve and sustain security, stability and development." added Al Jaber.

Leadership and members of the STC are well respected and appreciated on all levels in the #Kingdom.

The #Kingdom is also working diligently with parties of the #Riyadh Agreement on its implementation to achieve and sustain security, stability and development.

— محمد ال جابر (@mohdsalj) March 12, 2020

At least five STC leaders, including Aden's security chief Shalal Ali Shayea, were about to board a flight from Amman to Aden, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.

The airplane could not take off after the Saudi-led coalition denied it clearance to enter Yemeni airspace, they said.

The Southern Transitional Council, through its spokesperson, Nizar Haitham, warned of "what will result from" a decision to prevent its members from returning to Aden on Wednesday noon.

Haytham indicated that this may cause "internal repercussions at all levels, including efforts to bring peace."

According to the spokesperson, the airport authorities in Amman confirmed that "there is a circular by the Arab coalition that includes a list of the leaders of the Southern Transitional Council and the director of the security of the capital, Aden, to prevent them from traveling to Aden."

"We ask the coalition leadership for clarifications on what happened, and under what justification have they been prevented to return to the homeland," Haitham said.

Riyadh began informal talks with the Houthis in late September on decreasing hostilities.

But fierce battles resumed last month and culminated with the Houthi group taking control of its capital al-Hazem.

The recent escalation has shattered more than three months of calm in the five-year-old conflict.