CONFLICTED How Yemen Broke the Saudi-UAE Alliance
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Jan 15, 2026 Baraa Shiban, a Yemeni researcher and political analyst, dives deep into the fractured alliance between Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen’s civil war. He reveals how differing goals fueled tensions and led to a public rift. The conversation explores the role of Yemeni political factions, the rise of the Southern Transitional Council, and the impact of parallel security structures. Shiban also discusses the UAE's counterterror strategies and the ongoing ramifications of these internal conflicts in the region.
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Divergent Gulf Strategies Fueled The Rift
- Saudi Arabia prioritized defending the existing Yemeni state while the UAE prioritized fighting the Muslim Brotherhood and pursuing southern influence.
- Those divergent goals seeded long-term friction inside the anti-Houthi coalition that later exploded into open conflict.
Surreal Christmas Morning Declaration
- Baraa describes waking up on Christmas to a Yemeni TV announcer reading a presidential declaration ordering the UAE to leave within 24 hours.
- He highlights the surreal moment because the Yemeni presidency is recognized by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Islah's Three Pillars Complicated Allies
- Islah is a broad-tent party blending tribal networks, military strongmen, and Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islamists.
- That heterogeneity made Islah acceptable to Saudis but intolerable to the UAE, which fiercely opposes Brotherhood influence.