Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two countries usually seen as strong partners, blew up into the open on Tuesday after Saudi warplanes
carried out limited airstrikes on Yemen's Mukalla port. The strikes came right after Riyadh publicly blamed the UAE for what it called "highly dangerous" actions in Yemen. Saudi officials claimed two UAE ships had just delivered weapons and combat vehicles to separatist fighters there, as per a report from CNN News. Abu Dhabi quickly pushed back, calling the accusations false and saying they were surprised by the airstrikes. The UAE insisted the vehicles were meant for their own forces in Yemen and that everything had been coordinated with the Saudi-led military coalition. In a sharp statement, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry described the UAE's moves as a direct threat to its national security. "The Kingdom stresses that any threat to its national security is a red line," the statement read, adding that Saudi Arabia "will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralize any such threat." The timing couldn't have been more pointed. The Saudi statement dropped just minutes after Rashad Al Olimi, head of Yemen's Saudi-backed Presidential Council, gave a speech accusing the UAE of directing forces to rebel against Yemen's government and ramp up fighting inside the country. Read more: Yemen Declares State of Emergency After Saudi Arabia Bombs Port In Mukalla - Why The Red Sea Is on Edge The UAE fired back with its own statement, saying it "categorically rejects" any suggestion that it pressured or guided Yemeni groups to carry out operations that could threaten Saudi borders. Abu Dhabi also condemned the claims that it was stirring up tensions between different Yemeni factions. This public clash highlights a growing split between the Gulf neighbors, who have worked closely together for years. The trouble started heating up earlier this month when the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) launched an offensive and seized control of several key provinces in Yemen. That move angered the Saudi-supported government, which says it weakens the overall fight against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north by splitting forces and resources. The situation in Yemen, already one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, has become even more complicated.
