Saudi Arabia Accused Abu Dhabi 2025

Saudi Arabia Accused Abu Dhabi of ‘Dangerous’ Actions in Yemen, United Arab Emirates Rejected Saudi Accusations

Saudi Arabia accused its close ally, the United Arab Emirates, of “extremely dangerous” actions in Yemen, launching “limited” airstrikes on Tuesday morning targeting the port of Mocha. These strikes followed accusations that two Emirati ships had delivered weapons and military vehicles to separatist forces.

The UAE rejected these accusations, expressed surprise at the strikes, and stated that, following coordination with the Saudi-led coalition, those vehicles were intended for UAE forces within Yemen.

In a statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the UAE’s actions as a threat to its national security, highlighting a growing rift between the region’s close partners.

The Saudi statement was issued immediately after a statement by Rashad Al-Alimi, head of the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen, in which he accused the UAE of “inciting rebellion against state authority” and “directing forces” to “escalate militarily” in the country.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry statement emphasized, “The Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary measures to confront and eliminate any such threat.”

Saudi Arabia claimed the UAE was “pressuring” its supported military force, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), to carry out operations near its border—an accusation Abu Dhabi “rejected.”

A statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “The UAE firmly rejects any attempt to involve it in tensions between Yemeni parties and condemns accusations that it pressured or directed any Yemeni party to carry out military operations threatening Saudi Arabia’s security or targeting its borders.”

Earlier this month, the UAE-backed STC had launched operations to take control of key Yemeni provinces, angering the Saudi-backed government, which says this military escalation has divided the fight against the Iran-backed Houthi forces in the north.

These STC-aligned groups entered the oil-rich Hadramawt province, claiming eight governorates, and renewed calls for secession as an independent state in southern Yemen.

Concurrently, Saudi-backed groups in Yemen demanded that all Emirati forces leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours and terminated the defense agreement with the UAE.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE—both neighboring oil powers—are close allies and key partners of the United States, controlling trillions in global assets.

Prior to the escalation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had appealed for diplomacy and restraint the previous week.

He said on X (formerly Twitter), “The United States is concerned by recent events in southeastern Yemen. We encourage restraint and ongoing diplomacy, so that a durable solution can be found. We are grateful for the diplomatic leadership of our partners, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and support all efforts to advance our shared security interests.”

Both countries were united with Bahrain and Egypt in imposing a blockade on Qatar for over three years, marking one of the most severe recent crises within the Arab bloc.

The UAE had supported Saudi Arabia in the Yemen war before withdrawing in 2019.

Over a decade of war in Yemen has plunged the country into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Years of fighting have exacerbated the country’s economic collapse and devastated social services.

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