Riyadh (Somalia Today) — Saudi Arabia declared its national security a “red line” on Tuesday and backed a demand for United Arab Emirates forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours, marking one of the sharpest rifts between the Gulf partners since the conflict began.
The announcement came hours after Saudi jets struck a shipment of armored vehicles and weapons at the Yemeni port of Mukalla.
Riyadh said the United Arab Emirates supplied the cargo to separatist forces in violation of the Yemeni government’s authority, deepening strains within the coalition that has operated in Yemen for nearly a decade.
The Saudi warning followed a “limited” coalition airstrike announced by the official Saudi Press Agency, which said two vessels arrived from Fujairah without authorization and unloaded military equipment.
This escalation threatens to further divide the anti-Houthi alliance and complicate coordination among forces fighting in Yemen’s prolonged war.
‘Dangerous’ escalation
In a statement, the Saudi Foreign Ministry described Abu Dhabi’s actions as “extremely dangerous” and inconsistent with the coalition’s mission. The language was unusually direct for two governments that typically handle disputes privately.
The ministry’s statement, posted on the Saudi Foreign Ministry account, warned that the reported Emirati actions posed an “imminent threat” to Saudi Arabia’s southern border security.
“The Kingdom notes that the steps taken by the sisterly United Arab Emirates are extremely dangerous,” the ministry said, adding that “any infringement or threat to its national security is a red line.” Riyadh vowed to take “all necessary measures” to address such threats.
The Kingdom also endorsed a decree by Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, which canceled a defense pact with the UAE and ordered its troops to leave Yemen within 24 hours.
“Unfortunately, it has been definitively confirmed that the United Arab Emirates pressured and directed the STC to undermine and rebel against the authority of the state through military escalation,” Alimi said in a televised address.
He also announced a 72-hour blockade on ports and crossings in government-held areas, with exceptions authorized by Saudi Arabia.
Airstrikes in Mukalla
Saudi aircraft struck targets in Mukalla in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to a coalition statement, the air force struck weapons and military vehicles as crews offloaded them from two vessels in eastern Hadramout province. The coalition identified one of the ships as the Greenland, a roll-on, roll-off vessel flagged out of St. Kitts.
Reuters cited satellite-tracking data showing the ship departed Fujairah and disabled its transponder en route to Yemen. Saudi officials said the vessels turned off their tracking systems and unloaded cargo bound for the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
“Considering that the aforementioned weapons constitute an imminent threat, and an escalation that threatens peace and stability, the Coalition Air Force conducted… a limited airstrike,” the statement said.
Saudi state television aired footage that appeared to show armored vehicles unloading shortly before the strike. The coalition said the operation caused no casualties and ran through its joint command center.
UAE urges ‘wisdom’
The United Arab Emirates, a founding member of the coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015, denied sending weapons to Yemeni factions but confirmed the vehicles were part of its own deployment.
The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, in a statement, that the cargo was intended for Emirati units stationed in Hadramout. It said Saudi authorities had prior coordination on the shipment. The ministry also said the coalition issued its public statement without consulting member states.
The UAE expressed “regret” over the incident, rejected what it described as “false and misleading information,” and called for “restraint and wisdom.”
The ministry said the UAE’s role in Yemen focuses on counter-terrorism and stabilization, noting that it had withdrawn most of its combat troops several years ago.
The STC, which controls much of southern Yemen, including the interim capital Aden, rejected the Yemeni government’s 24-hour deadline.
“This unjustified escalation against ports and civilian infrastructure will only strengthen popular demands for decisive action and the declaration of a South Arabian state,” the group said in a statement broadcast by the STC-affiliated AIC news channel.
A fractured alliance
The events in Mukalla exposed strategic divisions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE that have widened in recent years.
Although close partners, the two states have followed increasingly different policies — clashing over oil production targets within OPEC, competing for influence in the Red Sea corridor, and supporting opposing sides in Sudan’s conflict.
They have also diverged over Yemen’s future: Saudi Arabia supports a unified central government, while the UAE favors greater autonomy for southern regions represented by the STC.
Hadramout, where Mukalla is located, is particularly sensitive. The province borders Saudi Arabia and serves as a key security buffer for Riyadh.
In recent weeks, STC forces pushed out units of the National Shield Forces, a Saudi-backed formation. Saudi officials said the development signaled a shift in local power near the frontier.
Regional ripple effects
The diplomatic fallout adds to regional uncertainty at a time of heightened tension around the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.
Israel’s recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state has drawn warnings from Yemen’s Houthi movement, which threatened to target any Israeli presence in the Red Sea or Horn of Africa.
The Houthis also continue attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting one of the world’s busiest maritime routes. Analysts say the Saudi-UAE rift has added pressure on coordination within the anti-Houthi alliance.
“I expect a calibrated escalation from both sides,” said Mohammed al-Basha, a risk analyst who monitors Yemen. “The flow of weapons from the UAE to the STC is likely to be restricted after the port attack, especially as Saudi Arabia controls the airspace.”
As the 24-hour deadline neared, Gulf officials said diplomatic contacts between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi continued to prevent further deterioration. Both capitals have said they remain committed to Yemen’s stability despite ongoing disputes over strategy.
