Saudi Arabia seeks to curb UAE sway in Yemen

Riyadh is moving to sideline Abu Dhabi’s influence in Yemen as strains deepen between the two Gulf neighbours, according to people familiar with the matter, marking a sharper turn in a rivalry that has simmered alongside years of cooperation. The push centres on bringing armed factions backed by the Emirates under Saudi control while reshaping the balance of power along vital shipping lanes stretching from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

Officials briefed on the situation say Saudi authorities have ordered the withdrawal of Emirati troops from parts of Yemen and carried out air strikes on what they described as weapons consignments destined for secessionist groups aligned with Abu Dhabi. The actions underscore an effort to consolidate command over anti-Houthi forces and curb parallel power structures that have complicated the war since it erupted more than a decade ago.

The contest plays out in Yemen’s fractured south, where the Southern Transitional Council and allied militias have received financial, military and political backing from the Emirates, enabling them to control ports, islands and coastal corridors. Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, has grown increasingly wary that such arrangements undermine its strategy to stabilise the country under a single chain of command.

Saudi efforts to trim Emirati influence have been framed by Riyadh as necessary to end infighting and refocus attention on the Houthi movement, which controls much of northern Yemen. Saudi officials argue that competing militias weaken negotiations aimed at securing a durable ceasefire and complicate border security at a time when missile and drone threats remain a concern.

The rivalry is sharpened by geography. Yemen sits astride the Bab al-Mandab strait, a chokepoint for global trade and energy flows. Control over ports such as Aden and Mokha, as well as islands including Socotra, offers leverage over maritime security in the Red Sea, an arena where Saudi Arabia has sought to project authority amid disruptions to shipping.

Abu Dhabi has publicly maintained that its Yemen engagement is focused on counterterrorism and maritime stability, and that it has reduced its military footprint over time. Yet Saudi officials believe Emirati support for southern factions has entrenched a de facto partition, complicating talks on a unified political settlement. The strikes on alleged weapons shipments were intended as a warning, according to people briefed on the deliberations, that Riyadh will not tolerate independent military pipelines.

Both countries are heavyweight players in OPEC+, and their economic coordination has often masked political competition. Disagreements over oil production policy, investment hubs and regional leadership have surfaced periodically, but Yemen has become the most acute theatre for rivalry, with implications that extend beyond its borders.

Diplomats say Saudi Arabia is pressing to fold Emirati-backed units into a broader security architecture overseen by Riyadh, using a mix of incentives and pressure. Financial support for salaries and logistics has been leveraged to encourage compliance, while mediation efforts aim to avert open clashes between nominal allies. The objective, according to officials, is to present a coherent front in negotiations and prevent southern autonomy drives from derailing talks.

The manoeuvres come as Saudi Arabia pursues a recalibrated regional posture, seeking to reduce direct military entanglements while securing its frontiers and trade routes. That approach has included dialogue with regional adversaries and an emphasis on economic transformation at home, heightening sensitivity to instability on its southern flank.

Abu Dhabi, for its part, has invested heavily in port infrastructure and security partnerships across the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea, viewing Yemen as part of a broader maritime strategy. Emirati officials have argued that local partners are essential to keep shipping lanes safe from piracy and militant attacks, a stance that has found some sympathy among international stakeholders concerned about freedom of navigation.