What's happened
Saudi-led coalition attacked Mukalla port in Yemen, claiming weapons for separatists. The UAE announced its forces are withdrawing from Yemen after the strike, amid rising tensions with Saudi Arabia over regional influence and internal conflicts. US officials discussed Yemen's instability with Gulf partners today.
What's behind the headline?
The recent escalation underscores deepening Gulf divisions, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE now on opposing sides of Yemen's civil war. The attack on Mukalla port, claimed by Riyadh as targeting weapons for separatists, reveals how regional interests are fueling conflict. The UAE's sudden withdrawal signals a shift in its Yemen strategy, likely driven by fears of further escalation and internal instability.
This crisis is rooted in longstanding rivalry, exacerbated by misperceptions from high-level talks in Washington. The UAE's withdrawal and the Saudi-led coalition's strikes threaten to derail fragile peace negotiations, risking a broader regional conflict. The US's involvement indicates concern over stability, but the underlying tensions suggest this will not be resolved soon.
The next steps will likely involve diplomatic efforts, but the entrenched interests and recent military actions suggest Yemen's conflict will intensify before any resolution. The Gulf's internal rivalry could have wider implications for regional stability and oil markets, making this a critical flashpoint for international security.
What the papers say
The Japan Times reports that the attack on Mukalla port was the most significant escalation in the Gulf rift, with the US discussing Yemen tensions with Saudi and UAE foreign ministers. The New Arab details the UAE's decision to withdraw forces following the attack, amid internal disputes and regional rivalry. Reuters highlights the misperceptions stemming from Washington talks that fueled the escalation, emphasizing the deep Gulf divisions and their impact on Yemen's ongoing conflict. These sources collectively illustrate how regional rivalries, miscommunications, and military actions are shaping Yemen's unstable landscape, with broader implications for Middle Eastern security.
How we got here
The conflict in Yemen has been ongoing since 2014, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE supporting different factions. The UAE's withdrawal follows a series of territorial advances by UAE-backed separatists, which have complicated peace efforts and heightened regional rivalry. The recent attack on Mukalla port marks a significant escalation in the Gulf dispute over Yemen.
Go deeper
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Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is the second-largest Arab sovereign state in the peninsula, occupying 527,970 square kilometres.
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The United Arab Emirates, sometimes simply called the Emirates, is a sovereign state in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west, as well as sharing m
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The Southern Transitional Council is a secessionist organization in Yemen. The 26 members of the STC include the governors of five southern governorates and two government ministers.
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Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula.