Middle East

Saudi-UAE Rift Threatens US Effort to End Yemen War

After joining forces against the Iranian-backed Houthis, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are vying for control of a post-war Yemen.

A Yemeni child looks out at damaged buildings from an air strike in Taez, Yemen. 

Photographer: Ahmad Al-Basha/AFP/Getty Images
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A deepening rift over the fate of Yemen is endangering peace prospects with risks for the oil-rich Gulf powers that are at the heart of it.

After joining forces to fight the Iranian-backed Houthi group that looked set to overrun Yemen in 2015, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are backing rival groups vying for control of a country that sits at the crossroads of vital shipping lanes and on the edge of a major energy-exporting region.