By HAN News Desk
RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has issued a stern warning to the United Arab Emirates, accusing it of taking actions in southern Yemen that threaten the kingdom’s national security and vowing a firm response to any such moves.
In a statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Riyadh said it is closely monitoring developments in southern Yemen and considers recent steps by the UAE to be “dangerous” and unacceptable.
“The actions being carried out by the United Arab Emirates in southern Yemen pose a threat to the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the statement said. “Saudi Arabia will not accept this under any circumstances, and this constitutes a red line. The Kingdom will respond firmly to any attempt that endangers its territory, sovereignty or national security.”
The Saudi statement did not detail the specific actions attributed to the UAE. However, tensions between the two Gulf allies have periodically surfaced over their differing priorities in Yemen, despite both being key members of the Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in the country’s conflict in 2015.
Saudi officials have previously expressed concern about UAE-backed armed groups and political influence in southern Yemen, particularly forces aligned with the Southern Transitional Council, which seeks greater autonomy or independence for the south. Riyadh has generally emphasized Yemen’s unity and the protection of its own southern border, while Abu Dhabi has supported local allies it sees as crucial to securing strategic ports and countering militant groups.
The unusually blunt tone of the Saudi statement underscores growing unease over coordination between the two countries in Yemen, analysts said, and highlights the risk of further fragmentation in a country already devastated by years of war.
Saudi Arabia reiterated its position that stability in Yemen is essential for regional security and warned that unilateral actions could deepen instability and undermine efforts to end the conflict.
