Yemen: Where Saudi and Emirati Paths Parts

For much of the past decade, Yemen has been framed as a proxy battleground between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Yet beneath this familiar narrative lies a quieter but increasingly significant fault line - the divergence between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Though, both entered the Yemen war as close allies, their strategic priorities have steadily drifted apart.

Saudi Arabia’s engagement has remained fundamentally security-centric. Yemen is Riyadh’s vulnerable southern flank, and the prospect of an Iran-aligned force entrenched in Sana’a poses a direct threat. This explains the kingdom’s consistent emphasis on Yemen’s territorial integrity and its support for a strong, central government capable of asserting authority nationwide. For Saudi Arabia, a fragmented Yemen is not a solution but a long-term liability.

The UAE, while initially aligned with these goals, adopted a markedly different approach as the conflict evolved. Abu Dhabi focused less on Yemen’s political center and more on its strategic periphery. Control over ports, islands, and coastal corridors—Aden, Mukalla, Socotra, and areas near the Bab el-Mandeb strait—became central to Emirati calculations. These assets sit astride vital global trade and energy routes, giving them value far beyond Yemen’s internal politics.

This divergence became most visible in southern Yemen. The UAE backed local militias, most notably the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which advocates autonomy or independence for the south. While these forces proved effective in securing territory and countering militant groups, they also challenged the authority of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government. Repeated clashes between allied factions exposed the incompatibility of Saudi and Emirati endgames.

For Riyadh, decentralization risks prolonged instability and leaves the north vulnerable to sustained Houthi—and by extension Iranian—influence. For Abu Dhabi, a decentralized or divided Yemen, with friendly actors controlling key maritime nodes, offers influence without the burden of governing a fractured state.

Tensions were further sharpened by differing risk calculations. Saudi Arabia remained deeply exposed militarily and diplomatically as the war dragged on. The UAE, by contrast, reduced its direct military footprint after 2019, outsourcing security to local allies while retaining strategic leverage. This asymmetry quietly altered the balance within the coalition.

The Saudi–UAE rift in Yemen is not ideological, nor is it an outright break. It is a case study in how alliances strain when national interests diverge. Yemen has revealed a fundamental truth of regional geopolitics - partners may fight together, but they rarely fight for the same future.