MBS-UAE Rivalry: How Saudi Arabia Lost Ground in Yemen to Houthis

Saudi Arabia is facing a serious security and trade challenge as Iran-backed Houthi forces expand their control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and strategic islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The developments have raised questions over Riyadh’s Yemen strategy and its increasingly competitive relationship with the United Arab Emirates.

The crisis has been linked to a major shift in the balance of power in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the UAE initially worked together against the Houthis after Riyadh intervened militarily in 2015 following the Houthi takeover of Yemen’s government. The Saudi-led campaign failed to defeat the group, while years of fighting caused heavy casualties and widespread destruction.

Although both Gulf nations opposed the Houthis, their priorities in Yemen gradually diverged. Saudi Arabia backed a unified Yemeni government, while the UAE supported the Southern Transitional Council, a separatist force based largely around Aden. Emirati assistance helped the STC become one of Yemen’s strongest armed groups.

Tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi eventually spilled into the Yemeni conflict. Saudi forces struck STC positions in December 2025 and demanded the withdrawal of UAE forces. The STC subsequently launched an offensive, while Saudi-backed forces fought back. The confrontation weakened forces that could have challenged the Houthis.

By the time the Houthis launched their latest offensive, Emirati forces had left and the STC had been severely weakened. The Saudi-backed National Resistance Front was left facing the Houthi advance and quickly lost ground.

The developments have now placed Saudi Arabia under pressure along vital maritime and energy routes. Riyadh has intensified airstrikes but faces the challenge of containing the Houthis without committing large numbers of ground troops. The episode has highlighted how the Saudi-UAE rivalry may have weakened the broader anti-Houthi coalition and created strategic space for the Iran-backed group.