The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to return to the Yemen crisis by resuming payments to some of Yemen's government forces engaged in battle against Iranian-backed Houthis in the south of the country. In return, Saudi Arabia has agreed to provide air support to anti-Houthi forces.
New Agreement and Unstable Links
This new cooperation agreement marks the first tangible signs of improved deep relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia regarding the future of Yemen. This comes as the advance of Houthi forces across Yemen has raised concerns for all rival rulers of the Gulf countries.
Read more: Disruption of Hormuz and Its Impact on the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
Saudi Arabia is facing daily drone and missile attacks and is trying to maintain a normal atmosphere in the country, while Houthi attacks have disrupted airports and some energy infrastructure.
Political Challenges in Yemen
Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE has responded to the demands of southern Yemeni separatists for a referendum on independence this week. The Southern Transitional Council has yet to reach an agreement to allow its forces to fight outside the borders of the old southern Yemen, but a clear agreement from Saudi Arabia to allow a referendum is likely to lift this restriction.
The Yemeni government, recognized by the United Nations, announced last week that it has launched a counter-offensive to expel Houthi forces from the capital, Sana'a, but so far this military assault has met with limited success around Majzar near Marib and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Yemeni national delegation is currently facing serious challenges. Despite heavy casualties, the Houthis are determined to eventually capture the cities of Taiz and Marib, which are the last two cities outside the borders of the old southern Yemen.
On Friday, two missiles fired by the Houthis struck Aden airport while a passenger plane was preparing for takeoff. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi announced that he would hold an emergency parliamentary session to grant military powers to his country's forces to defend Saudi Arabia. He emphasized that Egypt would not take any offensive action and would only defend Saudi Arabia.
Read more: The Sultan of Oman Unveils the New Identity of the Civil Defense and Ambulance Administration · Phone Consultation Between Abbas Araghchi and Sayyid Badr Albusaidi on Yemen Developments
