The developments come as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and fighting inside Yemen intensify
Egypt’s foreign minister has held talks with his Saudi and Emirati counterparts, while Cairo has announced military support for Saudi Arabia, describing it as strictly defensive.
UAE has been secretly assisting Iran-backed Houthi rebels in their fight against Saudi-backed forces in Yemen, according to a report by Drop Site News. Regional diplomatic efforts are also under way to contain the escalating tensions.
The rebels have also targeted Saudi infrastructure, including the kingdom’s main airport, with attacks reportedly killing 12 people and injuring more than 300. Citing four sources familiar with the matter, Drop Site News reported that UAE-aligned Yemeni forces had been providing targeting assistance to the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, while Abu Dhabi turned a blind eye. Officials have reported intensified fighting, attacks on residential districts and restricted access to water supplies, although some claims have not been independently verified.
A Yemeni source familiar with communication channels between the two sides told Drop Site News that “the UAE has passed a significant amount of intelligence to the Sana’a-based government; the line of communication between the two sides remains open. Two sources further alleged that the UAE had directly shared intelligence with the rebels to help them target Saudi-backed government forces inside Yemen. The developments come as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and fighting inside Yemen intensify. The strikes also led to the cancellation of the Future Investment Initiative conference, widely known as ‘Davos in the Desert’. Meanwhile, Yemeni government officials have appealed for international support as the Houthis tighten their encirclement of Taiz.