UAE Announces Yemen Withdrawal After Saudi Air Strike Escalates Gulf Tensions
The United Arab Emirates has announced it will withdraw its remaining military forces from Yemen, a decision that follows a Saudi air strike and a sharp ultimatum that has exposed deepening tensions between two of the Gulf region’s most influential powers.
The UAE said on Tuesday that it would pull out its forces after Saudi Arabia backed a demand for Emirati troops to leave Yemen within 24 hours. The move signals a major shift in the fragile balance inside the Saudi led coalition and highlights growing disagreement over the future of the conflict.
The announcement came just hours after Saudi led coalition aircraft struck the southern Yemeni port city of Mukalla. Riyadh said the attack targeted a weapons shipment linked to the United Arab Emirates that was allegedly intended for Yemeni separatist forces. The strike marked the most serious escalation so far in a widening rift between the two Gulf monarchies, both major oil producers and long time strategic partners.
Yemen’s war has long been shaped by overlapping alliances and rivalries. While Saudi Arabia has focused primarily on countering the Iran aligned Houthi movement, the UAE has backed southern separatist groups seeking greater autonomy or independence. These differing priorities have repeatedly caused friction, but the latest developments suggest relations have reached a new level of strain.
Saudi officials have not publicly commented in detail on the ultimatum, but analysts say the air strike and demand for withdrawal were intended to reassert Riyadh’s authority within the coalition. For Abu Dhabi, the decision to leave appears aimed at preventing further confrontation with Saudi Arabia while limiting exposure to an increasingly complex and volatile conflict.
The withdrawal raises questions about the future of Emirati backed forces on the ground and the balance of power in southern Yemen. Local factions supported by the UAE have played a significant role in security operations and governance in parts of the south. Their position may now become more uncertain as Saudi influence expands.
International concern over the dispute has been swift. In Washington, the US State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with the Saudi and Emirati foreign ministers. According to officials, the discussions focused on easing tensions in Yemen and addressing broader regional security challenges.
The United States has long urged its Gulf allies to coordinate closely in Yemen, warning that internal divisions could prolong the war and worsen the humanitarian crisis. Yemen remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with millions dependent on aid and basic services severely disrupted by years of fighting.
For both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the dispute carries wider implications. Beyond Yemen, it risks undermining Gulf unity at a time of heightened regional instability, from Red Sea security threats to ongoing conflicts elsewhere in the Middle East. It also complicates diplomatic efforts to bring Yemen closer to a negotiated settlement.
As the UAE prepares to complete its withdrawal, attention will turn to how Saudi Arabia reshapes its strategy on the ground and whether diplomatic channels can repair trust between the two allies. The latest escalation serves as a reminder that even closely aligned partners can diverge sharply when strategic interests collide.
