'National security is a red line': Saudi Arabia warns UAE over Yemen

Saudi Arabia said its national security is a red line, backed a call for UAE forces to leave Yemen within 24 hours, and warned it will act against any threat

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday warned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to pull its forces from Yemen within 24 hours, accusing Abu Dhabi of backing military escalation close to the kingdom's southern borders. The message came just hours after the Saudi-led coalition carried out an airstrike on the Yemeni port city of Mukalla.

 

In an official statement, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “disappointed” by actions it blamed on the UAE, saying its national security was a “red line”. Riyadh warned it “will not hesitate to neutralise any threat to their national security” as tensions rise over Yemen’s eastern regions.

 

 

Coalition strike and deadline for UAE withdrawal

 

The Saudi statement followed a coalition airstrike that targeted what it described as foreign military support for UAE-backed southern separatist forces. At the same time, the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council announced a 24-hour deadline for Emirati forces to withdraw from the country.

 

Saudi Arabia referred to statements by Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen. These statements raised concerns over ships carrying weapons and armoured vehicles that reportedly travelled from the UAE’s Al-Fujairah port to Mukalla without approval from the coalition’s joint forces command.

 

According to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the UAE had recently been working together to calm tensions linked to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen’s Hadramout and Al-Mahara governorates. However, Saudi Arabia said these efforts were undermined by fresh military movements allegedly linked to the UAE.     

 

Saudi Arabia accuses UAE of pressuring STC

 

Riyadh accused the UAE of pushing STC forces to carry out military operations near Saudi Arabia’s southern borders, describing this as a direct threat.

 

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its disappointment by the actions taken by the brotherly United Arab Emirates,” the statement said. It added that such moves threaten “the Kingdom’s national security, and the security and stability of the Republic of Yemen and the region".

 

Saudi Arabia said the actions were “highly dangerous” and went against the principles on which the Yemen coalition was formed.

 

‘National security is a red line’

 

Saudi Arabia issued one of its strongest warnings yet, making clear it would not tolerate any threat to its safety.

 

“The Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line,” the statement said. It added that Saudi Arabia “will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralise any such threat".

 

Support for Yemen’s government, push for dialogue

 

Saudi Arabia acknowledged that the southern issue is “a just cause” with historical and social roots. However, it stressed that military action is not the solution.

 

“The only path to resolve it is through dialogue within a comprehensive political solution in Yemen,” the statement said, calling for talks involving all Yemeni parties, including the STC.

 

Rising tensions after STC offensive

 

The UAE joined the Saudi-led coalition against Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement in 2015. Although it began reducing its troop presence in 2019, it continued backing the Saudi-supported government.

 

However, the STC later pushed for self-rule in the south. This month, it launched a surprise offensive against Saudi-backed government forces, breaking years of stalemate and bringing Saudi Arabia and the UAE closer to open confrontation.

 

Saudi Arabia had warned the STC against expanding militarily in Hadramout and called for a withdrawal. The STC rejected the demand.

 

Details of the Mukalla strike

 

The coalition said the airstrike followed the arrival of two ships from Fujairah on Saturday and Sunday without authorisation. After docking in Mukalla, the ships reportedly switched off their tracking systems and unloaded large amounts of weapons and combat vehicles to support the STC.

 

Saudi state media said the strike caused no casualties or collateral damage. Sources told news agency Reuters that the dock where the cargo was unloaded was targeted.

 

The coalition said it would continue blocking any military support to Yemeni groups without approval from the legitimate government, adding, “We will continue to prevent any military support from any country to any Yemeni faction without coordination with the legitimate government.”

 

(With agency inputs)