UAE Refutes Saudi’s Claim Of Arming Yemen Separatists After Mukalla Port Strikes

Last Updated:December 30, 2025, 20:39 IST

The UAE's response came after Riyad accused Abu Dhabi of taking “highly dangerous” steps in Yemen that posed a threat to its national security.

Saudi Arabia has said that the UAE’s support for a separatist offensive in Yemen was a threat to the kingdom’s national security. (AFP)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday (local time) dismissed claims made by Saudi Arabia that Abu Dhabi delivered weapons and combat vehicles to separatist forces in Yemen, saying that such claims are baseless as it has no role in provoking tensions among Yemini parties.

“The UAE categorically rejects any attempt to implicate it in the tensions between Yemeni parties and condemns the allegations that it pressured or directed any Yemeni party to carry out military operations that threaten the security of the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or target its borders," the UAE foreign ministry said in a statement.

Expressing surprise over the airstrikes in Mukalla port, Abu Dhabi said that the shipment did not contain any weapons and was meant for UAE forces, rather than any Yemeni groups. “The shipment in question did not contain any weapons, and the vehicles unloaded were not intended for any Yemeni party," government spokesperson Afra Al Hameli said in a post on X.

It called for de-escalation and said the developments in Yemen “must be done responsibly and in a manner that prevents escalation."

The UAE’s response came after Riyad accused Abu Dhabi of taking “highly dangerous" steps in Yemen that posed a threat to its national security by supplies arms and ammunition to the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) group .

In a statement released Tuesday, it warned that such actions threaten its national security and undermine the foundations of the Arab Coalition in Yemen.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its disappointment by the actions taken by the brotherly United Arab Emirates, pressuring the Southern Transitional Council’s forces to conduct military operations on the southern borders of the Kingdom in the governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahara, which is considered a threat to the Kingdom’s national security and the security and stability of the Republic of Yemen and the region," Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

“The steps taken by the UAE are considered highly dangerous, inconsistent with the principles upon which the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen was established, and do not serve the coalition’s purpose of achieving security and stability for Yemen," the statement added.

The Kingdom said that “any threat to its national security is a red line, and the Kingdom will not hesitate to take all necessary steps and measures to confront and neutralize any such threat."

The Saudi-led coalition conducted “limited" airstrikes on the Mukalla port, intensifying tensions between two of the region’s closest allies.

The Saudi statement came shortly after Yemen’s Presidential Council head Rashad Al-Alimi, backed by Riyadh, accused the UAE of directing forces to rebel against the Yemeni state and of escalating military activity in the country.

Saudi officials have alleged that the UAE is pressuring the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) to conduct operations near the Saudi border. The UAE has strongly denied the charge.

Earlier this month, STC forces launched an offensive in southern Yemen, gaining control of several provinces, including parts of the oil-rich Hadramout region. Saudi-backed authorities criticised the move, saying it undermined efforts to counter the Iran-backed Houthi movement in northern Yemen.

In response to the latest developments, Saudi-aligned groups in Yemen called for the withdrawal of all Emirati forces from Yemeni territory within 24 hours and announced the termination of a defence agreement with the UAE.

News world UAE Refutes Saudi’s Claim Of Arming Yemen Separatists After Mukalla Port Strikes

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