PNN – The role of the UAE in Yemen cannot be interpreted merely within the framework of limited military participation; rather, it is part of a long-term geopolitical project based on controlling coastlines, engineering local power, and altering the regional balance.
The Yemen war, which initially began under the claim of restoring “political legitimacy” and confronting Ansarullah, has over the past decade turned into a complex arena of geopolitical rivalries, conflicting interests among allies, and regional influence projects. In this context, the UAE has evolved from an actor aligned with Saudi Arabia into an independent player with clearly defined goals, at times conflicting with Riyadh, and has managed to consolidate far broader strategic gains in Yemen at a much lower cost.
The UAE’s entry into the Yemen war and the difference in objectives with Saudi Arabia
From the very beginning of Operation Decisive Storm in 2015, the UAE played an active role in the Arab coalition, but its objectives were not identical to those of Saudi Arabia. While Riyadh focused on defeating Ansarullah and restoring the government of Mansour Hadi, Abu Dhabi adopted a deeper and more structural view of Yemen’s geography, defining the country as part of a broader equation involving maritime security, global trade, and regional competition.
The UAE understood well that a complete military victory in Yemen would be difficult and costly. Therefore, from the early years, it pursued a strategy of gradual penetration, the creation of proxy forces, and control of vital chokepoints, seeking to secure its long-term interests without becoming trapped in a war of attrition.
Focus on coastlines and ports: the main pillar of the UAE’s strategy
One of the most prominent features of the UAE’s presence in Yemen has been its strong focus on the country’s coastal areas and strategic ports. From Aden and Mukalla in the south to Mocha and Bab al-Mandab in the west, all have been central to Abu Dhabi’s attention. This focus was not accidental, but rooted in the UAE’s grand strategy to become a dominant power over maritime routes, ports, and regional maritime logistics.
Control or influence over Yemeni ports enables the UAE to strengthen the security of its trade routes in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, while also preventing the emergence of potential port competitors. In this framework, taking control of or effectively managing ports such as Aden and Mocha is not merely an economic move, but part of a project of “soft economic occupation” pursued through investment tools, front companies, and local forces.
Creation and organization of proxy forces outside state structures
To consolidate its influence in Yemen, the UAE relied not on the official government, but on creating and supporting local armed forces operating outside the government’s chain of command. Forces such as the Security Belt, Hadrami Elite, Shabwani Elite, and ultimately forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council were all formed with direct training, arming, and support from the UAE.
These forces allowed Abu Dhabi to maintain field control over sensitive areas without a large deployment of its own official troops, while reducing the political and human costs of direct intervention. This model enabled the UAE to retain decisive influence in southern and western Yemen even after announcing a reduction of its forces in 2019.
Confrontation with the Muslim Brotherhood current and the Islah Party
Another key objective of the UAE in Yemen has been confronting the Muslim Brotherhood current, which has had a strong presence within the political and military structure of the ousted government through the Islah Party. Abu Dhabi viewed Islah as an ideological and security threat and sought to gradually eliminate its influence in order to shift the balance of power in favor of forces aligned with itself.
This issue led to a deep rift between the UAE and the government of Mansour Hadi and paved the way for Emirati support for figures and movements that later formed the Southern Transitional Council. In practice, the UAE preferred to work with local forces loyal to it rather than with a government whose parts were influenced by incompatible currents.
Support for the Southern Transitional Council and the project of soft fragmentation
The Southern Transitional Council gradually became the UAE’s most important political and military tool in Yemen. This council, which represents a separatist discourse, was able, with Emirati support, to take control of key parts of southern Yemen and even clash with forces loyal to the ousted government.
Although the UAE officially speaks of Yemen’s unity, in practice it has facilitated a path toward soft and gradual fragmentation of the country by strengthening parallel power structures in the south. This situation has not only weakened the central government but has also turned Yemen into an arena for competing regional influence.
Hidden and overt competition with Saudi Arabia
Over time, the divergence in approaches between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in Yemen has become increasingly evident. While Saudi Arabia bore the main costs of the war, missile attacks, and political pressure, the UAE managed to achieve more tangible gains by focusing on limited but strategic objectives. The dominance of UAE-aligned forces over Hadramout, Shabwa, and Al-Mahrah, especially at times when these areas had previously been under Saudi influence, demonstrated that competition between the former allies had entered a new phase. Many analysts believe that the UAE has effectively used the Yemen war to gradually push Saudi Arabia out of field equations and replace its influence with its own.
Linking UAE interests with the United States and Israel in the Red Sea
Yemen’s role in the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab has turned the country into a point of convergence for the interests of the UAE, the United States, and the Zionist regime. Following Ansarullah’s maritime operations against ships linked to Israel, the importance of controlling Yemen’s coastlines to contain this threat has increased significantly.
In this context, some Yemeni sources believe that recent movements by the UAE and its affiliated forces may be part of a broader plan to weaken Ansarullah and establish a security belt aligned with U.S. and Israeli interests in the southern Red Sea. By providing port, airport, and intelligence infrastructure, the UAE has sought to position itself as an indispensable actor in this equation.