News – Yemen: The United Arab Emirates has come under scrutiny after issuing conflicting official statements about its presence in Yemen, prompting observers to say the contradictions have stripped away long-standing claims that Abu Dhabi’s role is merely advisory.

The controversy began with an official statement from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs addressing a disputed shipment of weapons and military vehicles. The ministry said the shipment was coordinated with the Saudi-led coalition and intended to “support affiliated forces on the ground,” an admission widely seen as confirmation that Emirati military units remain active in Yemen and continue to rely on heavy logistical supply lines.

However, as criticism mounted, the UAE Ministry of Defense issued a counter-statement asserting that all Emirati forces had fully withdrawn from Yemen in 2019, claiming that the current presence is limited to “field committees for counterterrorism.”

The contradictory narratives have raised pointed questions among analysts and activists, particularly regarding the destination of the military shipment and the rationale for heavy armored vehicles if the UAE’s role is confined to advisory or counterterrorism tasks.

Observers say the episode reflects a deeper strategic dilemma for Abu Dhabi: reconciling a continued military footprint and control over strategic ports and sites with efforts to avoid political and legal accountability by publicly claiming withdrawal.

Analysts argue that attempting to portray itself simultaneously as a withdrawn party and an active military supplier goes beyond a procedural error, exposing what they describe as an ongoing but undeclared agenda in Yemen.

The UAE has repeatedly announced a drawdown or withdrawal of its forces from Yemen since 2019, while maintaining influence through allied local forces and control over key maritime and strategic locations. 

Sharp Saudi-Emirati tensions raised after Saudi airstrikes hit military vehicles and weapons unloaded at Mukalla port, which Riyadh said arrived aboard ships from the UAE’s Fujairah port and were destined for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council. 

While Abu Dhabi denied supplying arms to the STC and claimed the equipment belonged to its own forces, it later announced the withdrawal of its remaining units from Yemen following a Saudi deadline. 

The escalation has exposed deep rifts within the coalition and raised warnings of a new front in Yemen’s prolonged conflict, particularly as Saudi Arabia maintains control over Yemeni airspace and maritime access.