UAE pulls forces out of Yemen: When allies start bombing the same battlefield, geopolitics is no longer about enemies—it’s about diverging ambitions.
The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will withdraw its remaining military forces from Yemen, marking a dramatic shift in the decade-long war and exposing a rare public rift with its long-time ally, Saudi Arabia. The decision follows intense diplomatic pressure, open calls from Yemen’s Saudi-backed leadership for the UAE to leave, and a Saudi-led airstrike on the southern port city of Mukalla that sharply escalated tensions between the two Gulf powers.
This moment is being seen by regional observers as more than a tactical withdrawal. It signals a deeper fracture within the Arab coalition that once presented a united front against the Iran-backed Houthi movement, raising uncomfortable questions about the future of Yemen, Gulf unity, and the real objectives driving the war.
From Coalition Partners to Public Fallout
Saudi Arabia and the UAE entered Yemen’s war in 2015 as close strategic partners, leading a coalition aimed at restoring the internationally recognised Yemeni government after Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa. Over time, however, their priorities diverged. While Riyadh remained focused on countering the Houthis and preserving Yemeni territorial unity, Abu Dhabi increasingly backed southern separatist forces under the banner of the Southern Transitional Council (STC).
These differences simmered beneath the surface for years. The latest crisis brought them into the open.
According to regional reports, Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck targets near Yemen’s southern port of Mukalla, an area where UAE-linked forces and allies have maintained influence. Riyadh claimed the strike targeted illicit weapons movements that posed a security threat. The UAE, however, viewed the action as a direct challenge to its role and presence in southern Yemen.
Yemen’s Ultimatum and Saudi Backing
The airstrike was quickly followed by political escalation. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, aligned with Saudi Arabia, announced the suspension of its defence cooperation agreement with the UAE. It issued a firm demand for all remaining Emirati forces to withdraw within a tight deadline, framing the move as necessary to protect Yemen’s sovereignty.
Saudi Arabia openly supported this stance, declaring that any foreign military presence operating outside central government coordination crossed a red line. For Abu Dhabi, this public rebuke from its closest regional partner made continued deployment in Yemen diplomatically untenable.
Within hours, the UAE confirmed it would begin pulling out its remaining counterterrorism and advisory forces, effectively ending its direct military footprint in the country.
Why the UAE Is Stepping Back Now: UAE pulls forces out of Yemen
Officially, the UAE has framed its withdrawal as a calculated and responsible decision, citing a review of its mission objectives and the evolving security environment. Unofficially, analysts see three major drivers behind the move.
First, Abu Dhabi has long sought to limit its exposure in Yemen after reducing troop levels in 2019. The latest tensions simply accelerated an exit strategy already in motion.
Second, the UAE pulls forces out of Yemen pulls troops out of Yemen, but has invested heavily in its global economic and diplomatic image. Being publicly at odds with Saudi Arabia—especially after a coalition airstrike—risked reputational and strategic costs far beyond Yemen.
Third, the Emirati leadership appears confident that its influence in southern Yemen will endure through local allies, even without boots on the ground.
What This Means for Yemen’s Fragile Future
The UAE pulls forces out of Yemen reshapes an already fragmented conflict. On the ground, the Southern Transitional Council remains a powerful force in southern Yemen, controlling key cities and ports.
Without direct Emirati military support, the STC may face greater pressure from Saudi-backed government forces, potentially triggering new internal clashes rather than bringing the country closer to peace.
Politically, the split between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi complicates international mediation efforts. A coalition divided over Yemen’s future sends mixed signals to the Houthis, Iran, and global powers attempting to broker ceasefires and negotiations.
For ordinary Yemenis, the development offers little immediate relief. After nearly a decade of war, millions remain displaced, food insecurity is widespread, and basic services are collapsing. A reshuffling of foreign forces does not automatically translate into stability on the ground.
A Gulf Rift With Regional Consequences
Beyond Yemen, the episode underscores a broader reality in Middle Eastern geopolitics: alliances are increasingly transactional. Saudi Arabia and the UAE continue to cooperate on many regional and economic fronts, but Yemen has exposed the limits of their strategic alignment.
The Saudi strike on Mukalla and the UAE’s subsequent withdrawal mark a turning point. What began as a joint intervention has evolved into competing visions for Yemen’s political future—one prioritising unity under a central government, the other favouring strong regional actors in the south.
Conclusion: End of a Chapter, Not the War
The UAE pulls forces out of Yemen decision to pull its forces out of Yemen closes a significant chapter in the conflict, but it does not end the war. Instead, it reveals how deeply fractured both Yemen and the coalition fighting within it have become.
As Saudi Arabia recalibrates its approach and the UAE pulls forces out of Yemen, steps back militarily, the risk is that Yemen enters yet another phase of instability—this time driven not just by rebels and extremists, but by the unresolved contradictions among those who once claimed to be fighting on the same side.
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Author: Team BTP
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