News - Yemen: Abdullah Sabri, Ambassador at the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the ongoing events in Yemen’s southern governorates, particularly Hadramout and Al-Mahrah, reveal a clear Saudi-Emirati conflict emerging publicly as well as part of an effort to turn Yemen into a battleground for control over its land and resources.

Sabri noted that Saudi Arabia had monitored southern Yemen for years without active intervention, underestimating the UAE’s ambitions. The coalition originally aimed to divide Yemen and exploit its sovereignty and resources, under pretexts that have become widely recognized. 

He explained that Saudi Arabia only reacted when UAE influence approached strategic sites vital to Saudi national security, including Hadramout, coinciding with pressures from the UAE-backed Israeli-supported movements in Sudan.

The ambassador said Riyadh began mobilizing local proxies, portraying them as decision-makers while in reality serving Saudi interests. Saudi initiatives, such as the “Southern-Southern Dialogue” conference in Riyadh, are intended to present the kingdom as a savior and mediator, while the UAE continues to operate with cunning to secure its own objectives.

He added that the UAE, with US backing, seeks to avoid accountability for its aggressive role, leaving Saudi Arabia to bear primary responsibility for the consequences of past and ongoing aggression, especially in southern governorates.

According to Sabri, the UAE’s “symbolic concessions” aim to appease Saudi Arabia, while key forces like the Southern Transitional Council remain influential in their strongholds such as Aden, Abyan, and Al-Dhaele.

Sabri highlighted that the conflict reflects a broader US-Saudi-UAE strategic vision, with Israel pursuing its own interests by supporting local proxies in southern Yemen. He noted that Yemen’s active participation in supporting Gaza during “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” over two years shifted regional balances, reinforcing Yemen as a key player in Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab security, which prompted renewed Israeli and US concerns.

He concluded that the southern Yemen conflict will remain open militarily and politically, even if dialogue efforts begin, due to the absence of a unified strategy among mercenary forces, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and local southern actors, leaving the situation prone to further escalation.

The occupied territories in Yemen have increasingly become a stage for internal disputes among coalition-backed forces. Airports, military facilities, and administrative structures are being manipulated for political leverage, while civilians bear the consequences. Observers note that these conflicts reflect broader failures of Saudi and UAE strategies, revealing both the limits of their control and the exploitation of local proxies for external agendas.