What's happened
Saudi Arabia has increased its influence in Yemen by dismissing key separatist leaders and asserting control over the country's decision-making bodies amid ongoing tensions with the UAE. The move follows recent military and political actions aimed at curbing southern separatist advances and stabilizing the region.
What's behind the headline?
Saudi Arabia's recent actions in Yemen reveal a strategic shift towards consolidating influence and suppressing separatist movements. The dismissal of key figures like Bahsani and Zubaidi, both linked to the STC, signals Riyadh's intent to centralize authority and diminish UAE-backed factions. This move underscores a broader regional power struggle, with Saudi Arabia seeking to reassert dominance amid Gulf tensions. The support for a future political conference indicates Riyadh's aim to shape Yemen's political landscape favorably. The conflict's escalation risks prolonging instability, but Saudi efforts to control Yemen's political future will likely intensify regional rivalry and complicate humanitarian efforts.
What the papers say
Al Jazeera reports that Yemen's political landscape is shifting as Saudi-backed authorities dismiss southern separatist leaders and consolidate control over decision-making bodies. The New Arab highlights Saudi Arabia's assertive posture, including aid projects and strategic infrastructure investments, as part of its effort to stabilize Yemen under its influence. Reuters emphasizes the regional power struggle, noting that Saudi Arabia's actions are a response to the STC's territorial advances and the broader Gulf rivalry with the UAE. All sources agree that these developments mark a significant escalation in Yemen's ongoing conflict, with regional implications for stability and influence.
How we got here
Yemen has been embroiled in civil conflict since 2014, with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) emerging as a dominant force in the south. Saudi Arabia and the UAE previously collaborated in a coalition against the Iran-backed Houthis, but their relationship has since soured over regional and political disagreements. Recent developments include the STC's territorial advances and internal divisions, prompting Saudi intervention to reassert influence and control.
Go deeper
Common question
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How Is Saudi Arabia Increasing Its Control Over Yemen?
Saudi Arabia has been actively expanding its influence in Yemen through a series of political and military moves. Recent actions include dismissing key separatist leaders and consolidating control over Yemen's decision-making bodies. These developments are part of Saudi Arabia's broader strategy to stabilize the region under its influence, but they also raise questions about regional stability and the responses from neighboring countries like the UAE. Below, we explore the key aspects of Saudi Arabia's growing control in Yemen and what it means for the region.
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More on these topics
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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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Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a country in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula.
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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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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