Risk, Order, and Power: The Saudi-Emirati Divergence

In December 2025, UAE-backed forces seized oil-rich provinces in southern Yemen near the Saudi border, only to be repelled by Saudi airstrikes and allied troops within days, marking the first direct military confrontation between forces of the two Gulf states. The Southern Transitional Council subsequently dissolved, signaling a significant rupture in the Saudi-Emirati partnership that has shaped Gulf security for over a decade. The article analyzes the diverging strategic interests and risk app