Saudi-UAE Tensions Fueled by False Claims Over Crown Prince’s Washington Visit, CNN Reports

Saudi-UAE Tensions Fueled by False Claims Over Crown Prince’s Washington Visit, CNN Reports

Riyadh-Abu Dhabi relations have been strained after allegedly false information about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s November visit to Washington prompted UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) movements near the Saudi border, CNN reports.

According to CNN sources, Saudi Arabia believed that Abu Dhabi mobilized STC forces in provinces bordering the kingdom after being misinformed that the Crown Prince had requested US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on the UAE over its purported support for a warring faction in Sudan’s civil war. Riyadh has reportedly reached out to Abu Dhabi to clarify that no such request was made.

During the November visit, Trump announced his intention to intervene in Sudan’s conflict at the Crown Prince’s request, but no US, Saudi, or international media reports referenced the UAE at the time. The incident appears to have contributed to rising regional tensions.

On 30 December, Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes on what it identified as a UAE military shipment to Yemen, actions uncoordinated with the Saudi-led coalition. Riyadh also endorsed the Yemeni government’s call for UAE forces to withdraw from the country—a move Abu Dhabi said it was honoring voluntarily, while reaffirming its commitment to Saudi security and regional stability.

READ ALSO:

• Sudan War: 114 Killed in Darfur, Kordofan Attacks as Army, RSF Intensify Drone Strikes
• Rodríguez Takes Oath as Interim President After US Seizes Maduro
• Maduro Pleads Not Guilty to Narco-Terrorism Charges in US Court

CNN sources indicate that Saudi strikes against the STC remain possible if the separatists do not withdraw. Following the UAE troop pullout, the STC advanced toward Southern Yemen’s secession, losing territory under pressure from Riyadh and its local allies. The group has now expressed willingness to enter dialogue with other Yemeni parties.

Saudi Arabia has consistently advocated for the Southern Yemen issue to be resolved at the negotiation table rather than on the battlefield. Riyadh has called for dialogue in Saudi Arabia, a proposal welcomed by the Yemeni government, the STC, and most Arab and Muslim nations.

Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, STC President, remains a contentious figure. He is accused of holding dual citizenship, pursuing a foreign agenda, and potentially supporting ties with Israel should Southern Yemen gain independence. Yemen’s Media Minister Moammar Eryani has accused the STC of weapon theft, spreading chaos, and exploiting Al Qaeda to advance political ambitions.

CNN further reports that Saudi concerns extend to UAE involvement in Yemen, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Syria, where Abu Dhabi allegedly fosters ties with Druze elements contemplating secession. Saudi Arabia also opposes Israeli recognition of Somaliland’s independence, Israeli aggression toward Syria, and militarized attempts to create a Southern Yemen state.

While Israel maintains close ties with Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia continues to withhold normalization with Tel Aviv until progress is made toward a Two-State Solution with Palestine, a stance reiterated during the Crown Prince’s November Washington visit.

Saudi-UAE Tensions Fueled by False Claims Over Crown Prince’s Washington Visit, CNN Reports

ARAB NEWS