The United Arab Emirates’ public account of a meeting with Saudi Arabia gave no sign of Yemen-specific coordination, as fighting and displacement continue to pressure the country.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Oct. 18, according to the UAE presidency. It said they discussed bilateral ties, cooperation and regional developments, without mentioning Yemen.
The Guardian reported Oct. 17, citing sources in Yemen, that the UAE had agreed to restart payments to some southern government forces and Saudi Arabia would provide air cover. The report cited no official announcement, and the UAE’s account of the meeting the next day made no reference to those terms.
U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the U.N. Security Council on Oct. 9 that Ansar Allah had advanced toward Mokha and the coast along Bab al-Mandab. He also reported fighting west and south of Taiz and in Lahj, Marib, al-Jawf and Hajjah. Yemen’s government said it had retaken areas near Bab al-Mandab.
By Oct. 26, U.N. humanitarian officials counted more than 280,000 people displaced across Yemen since Aug. 1, with nearly half from Taiz.
The countries have ties to different Yemeni factions. The House of Commons Library says the UAE backed the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and other armed groups, while Saudi Arabia supports the Presidential Leadership Council, Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Saudi Arabia’s support for that government has been part of the conflict’s context.
A flashpoint came in December 2025, when STC-affiliated forces advanced on Hadramawt and al-Mahra. At a Jan. 14, 2026, Security Council meeting, Saudi Arabia described the STC’s Dec. 2 movements as unilateral and not coordinated with coalition leadership. The UAE said it had withdrawn its remaining military personnel from Yemen.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned in December that unilateral actions “deepen divisions” and “harden positions.” Grundberg has argued that military advances alone cannot produce a settlement without negotiations. The statement listed no next step on Yemen.
