The cold war between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has turned hot in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition has publicly accused its supposed ally, the UAE, of executing a secret operation to smuggle separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi out of Aden to evade treason charges.

The accusation marks a dramatic rupture in the alliance that has fought the Houthis for a decade. Al-Zubaidi, the head of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), reportedly fled by boat to Somaliland before being flown to Abu Dhabi, allegedly under the protection of Emirati intelligence officers.

The Escape

Saudi officials claim al-Zubaidi was summoned to Riyadh for crisis talks but chose to run. His escape followed the STC’s expulsion from Yemen’s presidential council. The coalition responded with airstrikes on STC positions in Al-Dahle, signaling that the gloves are off.

• Proxy War: This incident lays bare the divergent interests in Yemen. Saudi Arabia backs the unified government to secure its southern border, while the UAE backs the STC to control Yemen’s ports and coastlines.
• Regional Impact: The use of Somaliland as a transit point drags the Horn of Africa into the conflict. It highlights the UAE’s expanding military footprint in Berbera and Bosaso.
• Humanitarian Cost: As the giants fight, Yemenis suffer. The infighting distracts from the battle against the Houthis and disrupts aid flows to a starving population.

A Fractured Coalition

The "Arab Coalition" is now a coalition in name only. The Saudi-UAE rivalry is reshaping the map of the Middle East, and Yemen is the unfortunate chessboard.