Explainer

How Saudi-UAE Tensions Reached Boiling Point in Yemen

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, inspects the guard of honor next to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ahead of talks in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2019.Photographer: Eissa Al Hammadi/Ministry of Presidential Affairs/AP Photo

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By Dana Khraiche

January 22, 2026 at 1:41 PM UTC

In a conflict-ravaged Middle East, a deep and stable relationship between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has endured for decades.

The Gulf neighbors are in many ways natural allies. The Arab world’s two biggest economies are both led by powerful dynastic rulers who use vast oil revenues to shore up their power at home and project influence abroad. The two are key allies of the US and have been striking deals with Washington to win favor with President Donald Trump.