Yemen Monitor / Riyadh / Exclusive:
Saudi Arabia has shown extreme caution regarding the United Arab Emirates’ announcement of its troop withdrawal from Yemen. A source close to the Saudi government confirmed that Riyadh is adopting a “wait-and-see” policy to verify the sincerity of Abu Dhabi’s move.
This Saudi skepticism comes amid an unprecedented escalation, which included coalition airstrikes targeting an Emirati weapons shipment destined for the Southern Transitional Council (STC). It also follows Riyadh’s endorsement of a 24-hour deadline issued on Tuesday by the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) for Emirati forces to depart.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) quoted the Saudi source as saying: “What matters to Riyadh is seeing whether the UAE will actually stop supporting the separatists,” noting that the announced withdrawal must translate into a cessation of efforts to destabilize government-controlled areas.
These statements come hours after Abu Dhabi announced the withdrawal of its forces under pressure from the sweeping military advance made by the UAE-backed STC forces in the strategic governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra.
Emirati forces have already begun withdrawing, as three military cargo planes arrived at Al-Rayyan Airport in Mukalla to transport Emirati vehicles, equipment, and personnel, according to local sources reporting to Yemen Monitor on Wednesday evening.
The past few hours have seen a dramatic shift in the nature of the conflict:
- Air Strikes: Saudi-led coalition aircraft targeted an Emirati weapons shipment en route to the STC. This move was described as a “harsh message” intended to deter field movements that threaten the Saudi border.
- Political Ultimatum: Riyadh explicitly supported the ultimatum issued by the President of the PLC, which demanded Emirati forces leave the country, placing the bilateral relationship under an existential test.
Observers believe that the STC forces’ incursion into areas of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, which border Saudi Arabia, represented a “crossing of red lines” for the Kingdom.
This escalation has not only threatened Saudi national security but has also complicated peace negotiations led by Riyadh with the Houthis. This has led Saudi Arabia to feel that its ally, the UAE, is undermining its grand strategy in Yemen in exchange for regional gains for its proxies.
For its part, the Emirati side denied being behind the recent military advance of the separatists.
