UAE Withdraws Troops From Yemen Amid Escalating Tensions With Saudi

The United Arab Emirates has withdrawn all of its military forces from Yemen, the country’s defence ministry announced early Saturday, following a sharp escalation in tensions with Saudi Arabia that has exposed deep fractures within the Saudi-led coalition.

In a brief statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the withdrawal “follows the implementation of a previously announced decision to conclude the remaining missions of counterterrorism units.” The statement did not disclose details regarding troop numbers or military equipment, though multiple Emirati cargo flights were observed entering and leaving Yemen in recent days.

The pullout comes as Yemen’s conflict enters a volatile new phase, marked by open clashes between Saudi-backed forces and the Southern Transitional Council (STC), a separatist group supported by the UAE.

Southern separatists declare constitution

Shortly after the withdrawal was confirmed, the STC announced a constitution for an independent state in southern Yemen, urging other political factions to accept what it described as a declaration of independence. It remains unclear whether the move is symbolic or can be practically enforced on the ground.

Last month, STC-linked fighters seized control of two southern provinces from Saudi-backed forces and took over the Presidential Palace in Aden, the main city in southern Yemen. Members of the internationally recognised Yemeni government, which had been operating from Aden, subsequently fled to Riyadh.

Saudi airstrikes intensify

On Friday, Saudi warplanes bombed camps and military positions held by the STC in Hadramout province, according to a separatist official, as Saudi-backed fighters attempted to retake the facilities. The strikes marked the latest direct Saudi military intervention against the UAE-backed faction.

Saudi Arabia has carried out several strikes on STC positions in recent weeks, including an attack on what it said was a shipment of Emirati weapons destined for separatist forces.

Coalition fractures deepen

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have long been key partners in the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iranian-backed Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen. The coalition’s stated objective has been to restore the internationally recognised Yemeni government, ousted from the capital Sanaa nearly a decade ago.

However, growing rivalry between coalition partners and their local allies now threatens to unravel the alliance entirely. Analysts warn the escalating rift risks pushing Saudi Arabia and the UAE into direct confrontation, further destabilising the Arab world’s poorest country and complicating any prospects for a negotiated political settlement.