American Magazine: The Saudi–UAE Conflict in Yemen Reshapes Regional Equations
Foreign Policy: The Confrontation Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi Goes Beyond Yemen and Forces Regional States to Take Sides
NYN | Reports and Analyses
The American magazine Foreign Policy considers that the escalating tension between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen is no longer a passing disagreement within the Gulf alliance, but has evolved into a broader strategic conflict that extends beyond the Yemeni arena to affect the very structure of the regional order as a whole.
More Than a Yemeni Dispute
The magazine explained that what is unfolding between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi reflects a struggle over influence and alliances, rather than merely differing views on how to manage the Yemeni file. It noted that Saudi Arabia is seeking to redraw regional balances of power at the expense of the Emirati role.
Saudi Moves to Isolate Abu Dhabi Regionally
According to the report, Saudi Arabia’s expansion of pressure on the UAE has become evident through intensified diplomatic moves, most notably the surprise visit by the Saudi foreign minister to Cairo, which—according to the magazine—resulted in explicit Egyptian support for the Saudi position.
Reshaping the Regional Order
Foreign Policy argues that this dramatic shift in the regional order that Riyadh is working to impose could lead to a contraction of the UAE’s regional alliance network, thereby reducing the political weight and influence it has accumulated over recent years.
The Region Facing Two Choices
The American magazine concluded that the crystallization of the split between the two poles of the Saudi–Emirati alliance in Yemen is likely to expand at the regional level. It emphasized that Saudi Arabia is seeking to impose a new equation that forces countries in the region to align with one side or the other, warning of increased polarization and instability in the Middle East.
