Israeli Site: Escalating Saudi-Yemen Conflict Redraws the Map of Gulf Alliances
Israeli expert: Conflicting interests in Yemen have turned the relationship between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi into a covert conflict... and Gulf disagreements are poised for further escalation.
NYN | Reports and Analyses
An Israeli outlet has noted that the escalating confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Sanaa government forces in Yemen is beginning to have repercussions that extend beyond Yemeni borders, amidst growing differences and conflicting interests among several Gulf states, chief among them Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The Israeli website Davar HaOm stated that recent developments in the Yemeni conflict are helping reshape the map of alliances within the Gulf. It pointed out that differences between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have become more pronounced, particularly given the diverging calculations of both sides regarding the Yemeni file.
Conflicting Interests Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
The website quoted Yossi Mann, an Israeli expert on Middle Eastern and Gulf affairs, as saying that the most prominent issue relates to the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He explained that conflicting interests between the two allies in Yemen have gradually shifted their relationship from a partnership to what he described as “below-the-belt warfare.”
Mann added during a televised interview that renewed confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Sanaa government forces could deepen rifts among Gulf regimes, particularly between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed.
Israeli Criticism of Saudi Policy in Yemen
The Israeli expert argued that Riyadh pursued what he described as a naive policy for the better part of the war in Yemen. He noted that Saudi Arabia is currently paying the price for what he viewed as missteps in managing the conflict, as Sanaa government forces maintain the capability to exert pressure on the Kingdom.
Mann believes that recent developments reflect broader complexities across the Gulf landscape, where security, economic, and political issues have become increasingly tied to diverging calculations among Gulf capitals.
Disagreements Extending Beyond Saudi Arabia and the UAE
The Israeli analysis noted that tensions within the Gulf are not limited to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, but extend, according to its assessment, to Saudi and Emirati relations with smaller Gulf states, including Qatar and Kuwait.
According to the site, continued escalation in Yemen could further expose these divergences and influence the nature of regional alliances in the coming period—especially if current disagreements evolve into more explicit political and security rifts among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.
Observers note that the ongoing conflict in Yemen not only impacts Riyadh’s military calculations, but also poses political challenges to relations among Gulf powers at a time when these nations hold contrasting visions regarding the region’s future, security arrangements, and governing alliances.
