Saudi-UAE rift over Yemen escalates quickly

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (MNTV) — Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over the future of Yemen have escalated into an open diplomatic and security confrontation, as Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of backing separatist forces that threaten the Kingdom’s national security.

The dispute intensified after Saudi-led coalition forces struck targets at the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla, which Riyadh said contained vehicles and weapons shipments linked to the UAE and intended for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).

Saudi officials described the development as crossing a “red line,” warning that any threat to the Kingdom’s security would be met with decisive measures.

Saudi coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki said more than 80 vehicles and containers of weapons and ammunition were discovered at the port, adding that Emirati personnel and equipment had been transferred to the Al-Rayyan base without Saudi coordination. He said the operation adhered to coalition rules of engagement.

The UAE rejected the accusations, saying the shipments were not weapons and were destined for its own forces. Abu Dhabi said it was committed to Saudi security and accused unnamed parties of spreading inaccurate claims that could fuel escalation.

Amid the fallout, the UAE announced it would withdraw its remaining “counterterrorism” units from Yemen following what it described as a comprehensive review of the safety and effectiveness of its mission.

The withdrawal came after Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) cancelled a defense agreement with Abu Dhabi and demanded that Emirati forces leave within 24 hours, a call publicly supported by Riyadh.

At the heart of the crisis is the STC, which the UAE has supported for years and which seeks to restore an independent southern Yemeni state.

This month, STC forces advanced eastward, seizing large areas of Hadramout and Al-Mahra — governorates bordering Saudi Arabia and home to key oilfields, ports and strategic routes.

Saudi officials and analysts view the STC’s expansion as a direct threat. Riyadh has long regarded Yemen as central to its security, initially intervening militarily in 2015 against the Iran-aligned Houthis before shifting toward diplomacy.

The sudden territorial gains by UAE-backed separatists have alarmed Saudi leaders, who fear the emergence of an unrecognized southern microstate on their border.

The UAE, however, has shown little sign of retreating politically. Emirati analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla portrayed Abu Dhabi’s support for the STC as a matter of principle, describing the UAE as a state that does not abandon its allies under pressure.

Yemeni officials escalated their response by declaring a temporary no-fly zone and imposing a 72-hour land and sea blockade, while accusing the UAE of directing and financing the STC’s military campaign.

The STC, for its part, remained defiant, insisting it would not withdraw from newly seized territory and warning it would respond to any military move against its forces.

Regional analysts warned that the crisis risks igniting internal conflict in southern Yemen and spilling into wider regional rivalries, including in Sudan and the Horn of Africa, where Saudi Arabia and the UAE often back opposing factions.

Observers also cautioned that the rift could benefit the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen and may exploit divisions among their former adversaries.

Western governments have largely avoided public criticism of Abu Dhabi, while maintaining support for Saudi Arabia’s preference for a unified Yemeni state.

Diplomatic efforts are under way to contain the fallout, with Qatar welcoming statements from both Gulf states emphasizing restraint, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan holding talks with senior officials in the United States and Pakistan on regional developments.