Saudi-UAE Rivalry Weakens Riyadh as Houthis Gain Ground in Yemen
Saudi Arabia’s rivalry with the UAE has weakened anti-Houthi forces in Yemen, leaving Riyadh exposed to a resurgent Iran-backed militia and threats to vital Red Sea routes.
Saudi Arabia is facing a growing security and trade crisis as Iran-backed Houthi forces expand their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and areas near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The developments have raised concerns over Riyadh’s access to vital maritime and oil routes.
The crisis has also exposed deepening tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which entered Yemen as allies in 2015 but later pursued different interests. While Riyadh backed a unified Yemeni government, Abu Dhabi supported the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist force that became one of Yemen’s strongest anti-Houthi formations.
Tensions escalated in late 2025 when Saudi Arabia targeted STC positions and accused the UAE of supplying weapons. The resulting conflict weakened forces that had been opposing the Houthis. After Emirati forces withdrew and the STC suffered major losses, the Saudi-backed National Resistance Front was left as a key anti-Houthi force.
When the Houthis launched their latest offensive, that resistance reportedly collapsed quickly, allowing the militia to seize strategic territory and islands near Bab el-Mandeb.
The developments have left Saudi Arabia facing a strengthened Houthi threat while key maritime routes remain under pressure. The episode highlights how the rivalry between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi has complicated the broader campaign against the Houthis and weakened Saudi Arabia’s position in Yemen.
