UAE to leave Yemen in 24-hours following Saudi strikes

Relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE appear to have reached a new low, following Saudi strikes on a port in Yemen. Al-Mukalla port on the shores of the southern Arabian Peninsula, was bombed by Saudi forces in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Riyadh saying it targeted weapons and vehicles originating in Fujairah, a port city on the east coast of the UAE.
In a statement, the Saudi military announced that "the ships’ crew had disabled tracking devices aboard the vessels, and unloaded a large amount of weapons and combat vehicles in support of the Southern Transitional Council’s (STC) forces," adding that the weapons "constituted an imminent threat". The UAE has denied that the shipment contained weapons, and has insisted that the armoured vehicles on board "were not intended for any Yemeni party, but were shipped for use by UAE forces operating in Yemen". They have also rejected allegations that it is spurring the war in Yemen.
Once allies rallying against Houthi rebels in the country's north, Saudi Arabia and the UAE now back rival factions in Yemen, with the UAE supporting the STC, and Saudi Arabia supporting the central government in Aden. Recent territorial gains by the STC, including huge advances in the country's southeast a few weeks ago, and the hoisting of the flag of historic South Yemen above buildings, has raised concerns regarding the region's stability.
The latest developments paint a picture of deteriorating relations. Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, has decided to cancel the joint defence deal with the United Arab Emirates, and UAE forces in Yemen have agreed to leave the country within 24 hours, with al-Alimi announcing an air, land and sea blockade on all ports and crossings for 72 hours.






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