Saudi Arabia outmaneuvers the UAE as Yemen’s power map is redrawn

Saudi Arabia has decisively altered the balance of power in Yemen by moving against forces long backed by its own coalition partner, the United Arab Emirates. Rather than tolerating a slow proxy struggle over southern Yemen, Riyadh opted for direct military intervention to shut down Emirati-backed separatist ambitions. Saudi-aligned forces rapidly seized key cities, ports, and transport corridors, dismantling the Southern Transitional Council’s military grip on the south. This marks the first time Saudi Arabia has openly displaced Emirati influence in Yemen through force rather than negotiation. The operation reflects deeper rivalry between the two Gulf states, driven by competing visions of regional control, economic dominance, and Yemen’s future structure. As a result, Riyadh now stands as the uncontested external power shaping southern Yemen, signaling its readiness to enforce strategic outcomes even against former allies.

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