- On 2nd January 2026, the UAE-backed forces declared war against Saudi Arabia by accusing it of launching air strikes and attacks by Saudi defence forces.
- Tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia escalated in 2025 after a UAE-backed force sought control of an oil-rich province, triggering Saudi airstrikes and the UAE’s withdrawal from Yemen.
- The rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE could prolong the war in Yemen, undermining regional stability and triggering political and economic shifts.
On 2 January 2026, UAE-backed forces clashed with Saudi Arabian troops after accusing Riyadh of conducting airstrikes. Days earlier, on 30 December, Saudi Arabia bombed the Yemeni port city of Mukalla, reportedly targeting a weapons shipment sent by the UAE to the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which seeks an independent state in southern Yemen. The escalating rift left around 600 tourists stranded on a remote Yemeni island following the UAE’s withdrawal of troops last week.
Red Sea Region as the West Asian Hotbed
The Red Sea region, which is a geopolitical hotspot, holds strategic maritime importance as a global transit route that plays a crucial role in the region’s security and economic stability. Various countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, want to maintain their dominance over the region. On the other hand, countries like the US, China and Italy have also set up their military bases in the region. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, considered the largest oil producers in the Middle East, entered Yemen in 2015 through mutual interests, cooperation, and a long-term vision.
Both countries launched a joint military intervention to curb Iran’s influence by fighting against the Houthis, who are considered an ally of Iran and have seized the capital, Sanaa. The Houthis are considered a group of militants who have been repeatedly attacking ships in the Red Sea, disrupting trade and maritime security. The first Houthi drone and missile attack occurred on 19th October, just two days after an escalation in Gaza killed between 100 and 200 people. The main aim of the Houthis’ attack on the Red Sea was to stop Israel-linked ships; however, various sources state that Yemen’s internal stability and people’s protests were one of the reasons to escalate attacks on the Red Sea to divert attention from the issue.
Simmering Tensions Between Saudi Arabia and The UAE
Saudi Arabia and the UAE entered Yemen in 2015 to maintain long-term interests and control over the Red Sea region against Iran’s dominance in the region. In 2014, the Houthis captured Yemen’s capital, Sanaa. After taking the capital and gaining public support, they formed their political and military dominance backed by Iran’s arms supplies. They captured the northwestern border, which has a key stretch to the Red Sea coastline, forcing regional powers to intervene and led Saudi Arabia to back the Houthis by giving them access to vital shipping routes and backing the government formed by the Houthis in Yemen. This development between Saudi Arabia and Houthis led the UAE to support the Southern Transitional Council, a southern separatist group that clashes directly with Saudi interests.
However, various escalations have taken place between the UAE and Saudi Arabia over the years, the recent one being in 2025, when a UAE-supported force attempted to seize an oil-producing province, further intensifying tensions between the two countries. This escalation deepened when Saudi airstrikes hit a UAE shipment at the Mukalla port, forcing the UAE to withdraw its forces from Yemen. However, the UAE clearly denied the allegation, as Saudi Arabia claimed the shipments were sent to the STC, which was backed by the UAE. The relationship between the two countries deteriorated further when Saudi Arabia deployed their naval forces off Yemen’s coast after Saudi Arabia-aligned troops began a ground offensive against Yemeni separatist groups.
The rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE could prolong the war in Yemen, undermining regional stability and triggering political and economic shifts. Despite such tensions, both countries continue to share cooperation on matters such as regional prestige and economic influence.
Antara Deka is a student of Political Science at North Eastern Hill University and History at Indira Gandhi National Open University. Her interests include political awareness and civic engagement, and she has been actively involved in initiatives promoting informed participation among youth. Views expressed are the author’s own.
Faareha Usmani 
Pranav S