IRIA News

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The United Arab Emirates announced on December 30, 2025, that it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen, after Saudi Arabia backed a 24-hour ultimatum for Emirati forces to leave the country.

The decision follows a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on Yemen’s southern port of Mukalla, which Saudi officials said targeted military support linked to UAE-backed separatist forces.

The withdrawal underscores a deepening rift between two of the Gulf’s most powerful states, which were once close partners in Yemen and have long been regarded as twin pillars of regional security.

The diverging interests of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen, combined with broader disagreements over regional influence and energy policy, are now spilling into open confrontation.

Hours before the UAE announcement, coalition forces carried out what Saudi Arabia described as a “limited military operation” against facilities at Mukalla port in eastern Yemen. The coalition said the strike targeted vehicles and cargo that had arrived aboard two ships from the UAE port of Fujairah without coalition authorization.

Saudi officials said the shipment posed an imminent threat and was intended to provide foreign military support to the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist group seeking self-rule in southern Yemen. Coalition spokespeople said the vessels had disabled their tracking systems and unloaded large quantities of military vehicles and equipment.

Saudi state media said the strike caused no casualties or collateral damage. Yemeni state television showed black smoke rising from the port area and images of burned vehicles. Independent verification of the cargo’s contents and the precise targets struck was not immediately possible.

Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: Limited Airstrike Targeted Foreign Military Support in the Port of Mukalla.https://t.co/OttfQ8CGuu#SPAGOV pic.twitter.com/twFUiPPvkR

— SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) December 30, 2025

UAE Denies Accusations

The UAE strongly rejected Saudi accusations, saying it had been surprised by the coalition airstrike and that the cargo did not contain weapons. Emirati officials said the vehicles were intended for UAE forces operating in Yemen and not for any Yemeni faction.

In a statement, the UAE said it categorically rejected claims that it had pressured or directed any Yemeni group to carry out military operations threatening Saudi Arabia’s security or targeting its borders. It called for restraint and urged that all actions be based on verified facts and existing coordination mechanisms to prevent further escalation.

Later in the day, the UAE Ministry of Defense announced it had decided to end its remaining counterterrorism mission in Yemen “of its own volition,” citing recent developments and concerns over the safety and effectiveness of its personnel.

Saudi Arabia’s 24-hour Ultimatum

Saudi Arabia endorsed a demand from Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council requiring all UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours. The council’s head, Rashad Al Alimi, said the move was necessary to safeguard Yemen’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity.

In a televised address, Al Alimi accused the UAE of pressuring and directing the Southern Transitional Council to undermine state authority through military escalation. He said it had been “definitively confirmed” that the separatists’ recent offensives were carried out with Emirati backing.

Al Alimi also announced the cancellation of a joint defense agreement with the UAE, declared a state of emergency for 90 days, and imposed a 72-hour air, land, and sea blockade on ports and crossings.

Saudi officials described the kingdom’s national security as a “red line” and said Riyadh would not hesitate to take necessary steps to confront any threats. The Saudi cabinet said it remained committed to Yemen’s security and stability and hoped the UAE would fully comply with the withdrawal demand.

Southern Transitional Council Rejects Orders

The Southern Transitional Council rejected al-Alimi’s orders, calling them unilateral and lacking legal consensus. STC leaders said the UAE remained a main partner in the fight against the Iran-aligned Houthis movement and insisted Emirati support was essential for counterterrorism efforts in the south.

Aidarous Al Zubaidi, head of the STC and a member of the presidential council, said the group would not accept decisions taken without agreement among council members. Other STC officials accused Al Alimi of manufacturing political vacuums in southern Yemen that could have serious consequences.

The STC has argued that its recent military advances were necessary to restore stability, combat terrorism, and counter Houthi influence. It has vowed to protect areas it controls, including parts of the oil-rich Hadramout province, and signaled no intention of withdrawing.

Rivalry in the Making

Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened together in Yemen in 2015 to reverse the Houthis’ takeover of the capital, Sanaa. While initially aligned, their strategies gradually diverged.

Saudi Arabia continued to back Yemen’s internationally recognized government, while the UAE increasingly supported southern forces, including the STC.

The UAE began drawing down its troops in 2019 but maintained influence through local partners and counterterrorism units. Over time, the STC consolidated control over much of southern Yemen, including Aden, often clashing with Saudi-backed government forces.

Recent weeks have seen a dramatic shift, with STC forces launching offensives that broke years of stalemate and expanded their control across the south. Saudi officials have warned that these moves threaten Yemen’s unity and the kingdom’s own security.

The U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan about tensions in Yemen and broader issues affecting regional security and stability. Rubio later called for restraint and continued diplomacy aimed at reaching a lasting solution.

The crisis has raised concerns about the future of the anti-Houthi coalition and the risk of further fragmentation in Yemen, already one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

Economic and Regional Implications

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are both major players in the OPEC oil exporters’ group, and their disagreements have implications beyond Yemen. Any sustained rift could complicate consensus on oil production policy at a time of global economic uncertainty.

Following reports of the Mukalla strike and the UAE withdrawal announcement, major Gulf stock indexes fell. OPEC+ members are scheduled to meet online soon, with delegates indicating plans to maintain first-quarter production levels unchanged.

Yemen’s Conflict Enters Volatile Phase

Yemen’s civil war, which began in 2014 and escalated with foreign intervention in 2015, has killed more than 150,000 people and devastated the country’s economy and infrastructure. The new confrontation between Saudi Arabia and the UAE adds another layer of complexity to an already fragmented conflict.

With Emirati forces withdrawing and Saudi Arabia signaling a harder line against southern separatists, the balance of power in southern and eastern Yemen remains uncertain. Analysts warn that unless de-escalation efforts succeed, the Saudi-UAE rift could further destabilize Yemen and reshape regional alliances in unpredictable ways.