The United Arab Emirates is allegedly providing intelligence and targeting assistance to Yemen’s Houthi rebels in their ongoing conflict against Saudi-backed forces, according to an investigative report published by Drop Site.
Shifting Alliances in the Red Sea
The alleged cooperation unfolds against a backdrop of widening geopolitical fractures between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over the future of Yemen. Both Gulf nations initially intervened in the country in 2015 as part of a coalition backing the internationally recognised Yemeni government after the movement, officially known as Ansarallah, seized control of the capital, Sana’a, in 2014. Over the last decade, however, their strategic priorities diverged.
Yes. I am sitting with this report in front of me, and I cannot simply nod and move on. Yemen’s war is a long, bloody, and tangled story. Drop Site News says the United Arab Emirates has been quietly helping Ansarallah, the Houthis, so they can fight the Saudi-backed forces. Ryan… https://t.co/QTAKw4xkeq
— https://x.com/Shinamuller/status/2115257492758315225
Saudi Arabia backs factions committed to preserving a unified Yemen. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has cultivated ties with southern separatist factions, most notably the Southern Transitional Council, and pursued distinct economic and security goals centered around regional ports and infrastructure.
According to the reporting by Drop Site, this divergence has now crossed into operational friction. UAE-backed forces inside Yemen have allegedly helped the Houthi rebels identify targets, while Abu Dhabi has supposedly shared intelligence directly with the group. Sources cited in the reporting claim that certain UAE-aligned militias, including elements of the Southern Giants Brigades and the STC, have repeatedly abandoned front-line positions or refrained from engaging advancing rebel forces in southern governorates such as Al-Dhale and Lahj.
Strategic Stakes Around the Bab al-Mandab Strait
The reported operational shifts carry consequences for the maritime security of the Red Sea. In recent weeks, Ansarallah forces have made territorial gains along Yemen’s western coast. This critical shipping route connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The tactical gains by the rebels have complicated Saudi military efforts. In response, Riyadh has intensified airstrikes against Ansarallah-controlled infrastructure, including strikes around Sana’a. Precision attacks on a coalition military base west of Aden on October 2 and 7 struck areas close to a Saudi commander’s office and military vehicles that had recently arrived at the facility, illustrating the precision of the ongoing engagements.
| Actor | Stated Policy in Yemen | Key Allied Factions |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | Back factions that keep Yemen unified | Internationally recognised government |
| United Arab Emirates | Back southern separatists | Southern Transitional Council (STC), Southern Giants Brigades |
| Ansarallah (Houthis) | Seeks territorial control | Internal networks |
Official Responses and International Warnings
The allegations of covert cooperation remain disputed. The UAE has not publicly confirmed any such assistance.
The diplomatic sensitivity of the situation has drawn direct attention from Washington. A senior American official reportedly warned the UAE that Washington had learnt about the alleged assistance and urged Abu Dhabi to stop it.
Meanwhile, senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti denied that the UAE had provided any support to the movement. In statements to Drop Site, al-Bukhaiti maintained that Abu Dhabi has remained neutral and resisted persistent pressure from Riyadh to re-enter the active military campaign against the group.
As diplomatic channels strain, the human cost of the fighting continues to mount. The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 250,000 people have been displaced by escalating violence since August 1. At the same time, the United Nations World Food Programme warns that aid agencies cannot reach more than 600,000 people in Taiz who depend on humanitarian assistance.
