Saudi Arabia has been invited to reconcile with the United Arab Emirates in order to create an effective military coalition against the Houthi separatists in Yemen. The relations between the two countries in Yemen, both of which have supported anti-Houthi forces, severely deteriorated in January of this year after an attack and defeat of an Emirati-affiliated force known as the Southern Transitional Council (STC) by Saudi Arabia.
Geopolitical Changes and Efforts for Reconciliation
Following the unexpected success of the Houthis in mid-September in advancing towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the geopolitical landscape of the region has changed again. This advance led to the defeat of the Emirati-backed National Resistance forces led by Tariq Saleh, whose front quickly collapsed.
Read more: The Impact of Houthi Movements on Iran-Saudi Relations
In a meeting held on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, the future role of the UAE in Yemen was discussed. In this meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, and representatives from other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, were present. Netanyahu offered Saudi Arabia assistance to defeat the Houthis, a proposal that Riyadh seems to find difficult to accept.
Military and Social Developments in Yemen
On Tuesday, another meeting was held in Riyadh to discuss the situation in Yemen between Khalid bin Salman Al Saud, the Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia, and Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Vice President of the UAE. These meetings reflect both parties' willingness to find a way to reconcile, even if only in the energy sector.
Following the Houthi advance towards the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Houthi forces are trying to consolidate their gains and capture the city of Taiz. Bara Shiban, a Gulf and Yemen specialist, stated: "Houthi forces have simultaneously begun waves of attacks on this city and are trying to exhaust the defending forces of Taiz. While the Houthis are pushed back, they attack again the next day from another front."
Saudi Arabia, which is reluctant to be seen cooperating with Israel, has always refrained from aiding its southern separatists. While the parliament of the UN-recognized government in exile in Riyadh has voted to mobilize Yemeni forces to fight the Houthis, the World Health Organization has reported that 838 people have been killed as a result of the recent escalation in Yemen, and 3,643 others have been injured.
Read more: China Urges Iran to Help Control the Houthis · Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan Seek to Create a Broader Defense Pact for the Islamic World
