Saudi-UAE bust-up over Yemen was only a matter of time − and reflects wider rift over vision for the region
- Written by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute, Rice University
Supporters of the UAE-backed and recently disbanded Southern Transitional Council hold flags of the former state of South Yemen during a rally in Aden, Yemen, on Jan. 2, 2026.AP PhotoYears of simmering tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates exploded into the open on Dec. 30, 2025.
That’s when Saudi officials accused the...

