Saudi Arabia’s ‘Red Line’ in Yemen: Bombing of Mukalla and Stark Warning to the UAE
Riyadh’s airstrike and diplomatic ultimatum reflect deepening strategic rivalry with Abu Dhabi over Yemen’s conflict and influence
Saudi Arabia carried out a major airstrike on the southern Yemeni port city of Mukalla after alleging that a weapons shipment from the United Arab Emirates was being delivered to UAE-backed separatist forces, in a move Riyadh characterised as defending its national security and drawing a firm regional red line.
The escalation follows a rapid territorial advance by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in Yemen’s south, which has seized control of resource-rich provinces, sidelining forces aligned with Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
In the strike, the Saudi-led coalition said it targeted military equipment offloaded at Mukalla that had arrived from the Emirati port of Fujairah, claiming the shipment posed an imminent threat and constituted significant escalation.
Riyadh stressed that any threat to its security was a red line it could not tolerate, warning that further actions undermining stability would be met with decisive measures.
This marked the most significant confrontation between the two Gulf powers in Yemen since their coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement began more than a decade ago.
The United Arab Emirates vehemently denied that the cargo contained weapons for separatists, asserting instead that the materiel was intended for its own forces.
Hours after the bombing, the UAE said it was voluntarily ending the mission of its remaining counterterrorism units in Yemen — the last Emirati forces in the country — after a comprehensive evaluation of recent developments.
The withdrawal announcement was widely seen as an attempt to de-escalate the situation, even as Riyadh demanded a complete cessation of Emirati military and financial support to the Southern Transitional Council.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, reacted by cancelling its defence pact with the UAE, declaring a state of emergency, and imposing a temporary blockade on land, sea and air entry points.
It also ordered all UAE troops to withdraw within twenty-four hours — a stark ultimatum that underscored the depth of the rift between erstwhile coalition partners.
Meanwhile, the Southern Transitional Council, which has taken control of key southern provinces, rejected calls to withdraw, framing its presence as a defensive response to local demands.
The fallout has exposed long-running strategic divergences between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which entered Yemen’s civil war in 2015 with a shared objective of countering the Houthis but have since pursued distinct agendas.
Riyadh remains committed to supporting a unified Yemeni government and containing threats to its southern border, while Abu Dhabi has focused on empowering local allies in the south to secure strategic economic and security interests.
The escalation follows a rapid territorial advance by the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in Yemen’s south, which has seized control of resource-rich provinces, sidelining forces aligned with Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognised Yemeni government.
In the strike, the Saudi-led coalition said it targeted military equipment offloaded at Mukalla that had arrived from the Emirati port of Fujairah, claiming the shipment posed an imminent threat and constituted significant escalation.
Riyadh stressed that any threat to its security was a red line it could not tolerate, warning that further actions undermining stability would be met with decisive measures.
This marked the most significant confrontation between the two Gulf powers in Yemen since their coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement began more than a decade ago.
The United Arab Emirates vehemently denied that the cargo contained weapons for separatists, asserting instead that the materiel was intended for its own forces.
Hours after the bombing, the UAE said it was voluntarily ending the mission of its remaining counterterrorism units in Yemen — the last Emirati forces in the country — after a comprehensive evaluation of recent developments.
The withdrawal announcement was widely seen as an attempt to de-escalate the situation, even as Riyadh demanded a complete cessation of Emirati military and financial support to the Southern Transitional Council.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government, backed by Saudi Arabia, reacted by cancelling its defence pact with the UAE, declaring a state of emergency, and imposing a temporary blockade on land, sea and air entry points.
It also ordered all UAE troops to withdraw within twenty-four hours — a stark ultimatum that underscored the depth of the rift between erstwhile coalition partners.
Meanwhile, the Southern Transitional Council, which has taken control of key southern provinces, rejected calls to withdraw, framing its presence as a defensive response to local demands.
The fallout has exposed long-running strategic divergences between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which entered Yemen’s civil war in 2015 with a shared objective of countering the Houthis but have since pursued distinct agendas.
Riyadh remains committed to supporting a unified Yemeni government and containing threats to its southern border, while Abu Dhabi has focused on empowering local allies in the south to secure strategic economic and security interests.
