UAE Returns to Yemen War

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to resume its involvement in the Yemen war by providing financial support to certain government forces battling the Ansar Allah (Houthi) militia in the south. In exchange, Saudi Arabia will offer air cover. This move represents the first tangible indication that tensions between the two Gulf nations regarding Yemen's future may be beginning to ease.

The Houthi advances across Yemen have caused concern for leaders on both sides. The UAE initially withdrew from Yemen in January, halting funding for southern forces like the Giant Brigades, which it had trained and financed. These units are regarded as some of the most effective in the anti-Houthi coalition. The retreat occurred following the Southern Transitional Council's (STC) unsuccessful bid to seize control of the south.

STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi sought refuge in Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia retaliated by bombing UAE arms shipments intended for the STC forces. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, UAE officials are now apprehensive. Despite suffering substantial losses, the Houthis persist in their efforts to seize Taiz and Marib. Saudi Arabia has been facing relentless drone and missile attacks, which have disrupted its airports and inflicted damage on its energy infrastructure.

Consequently, the kingdom has been compelled to postpone football league matches. On Friday, two Houthi missiles struck Aden airport, coming within a few hundred meters of a Yemenia Airways plane preparing for takeoff, though there were no casualties reported. In response to the escalating crisis, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened an emergency parliamentary session to authorize the military to defend Saudi Arabia.

The United Kingdom has also dispatched an RAF Voyager aircraft to assist in refueling operations. According to the United Nations, over 200,000 individuals have been displaced since August.