What's next for Yemen as UAE withdraws, rift with Saudi Arabia grows?
The escalating conflict in Yemen poses challenges to both the Saudi-backed government and the UAE’s position in the country, but may benefit the Houthis.
The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that it is withdrawing its security personnel from Yemen in the latest sign of turmoil in the Gulf as tensions with Saudi Arabia reach a boiling point.
What happened: The UAE Defense Ministry said in a statement that the decision to withdraw its personnel was motivated by “recent developments” and their “potential implications for the safety and effectiveness of counterterrorism missions.”
The announcement follows unprecedented escalation between former allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE in Yemen in the past 24 hours. The Saudi military conducted airstrikes in southern Yemen’s Mukalla port Tuesday morning, saying they targeted vehicles and weapons unloaded there that were illegally shipped from the Fujairah port in UAE and destined for Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council forces in Hadhramout and al-Mahrah provinces.
#Hadramout
— Ali Al-Sakani | علي السكني (@Alsakaniali) December 30, 2025
Scenes of destruction inside #Mukalla port after the recent strike this morning, with numerous military vehicles damaged.
Saudi Arabia carried out an airstrike targeting what it described as a weapons shipment intended for UAE-Backed STC.#Yemen https://t.co/DsH6hsaskr pic.twitter.com/jAN8PEKhRr
The Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen said in a statement that Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council had requested Riyadh take action to protect civilians in the provinces.
