The United Arab Emirates has agreed to resume financial support for Yemeni government forces fighting Iran-backed Houthi fighters, according to Yemeni sources cited by The Guardian. In exchange, Saudi Arabia committed to providing air cover for the anti-Houthi coalition.
The agreement marks the first concrete manifestation of improved cooperation between the UAE and Saudi Arabia on Yemen policy, The Guardian reports, after a prolonged rift between the two Gulf powers over the country's future. Both nations have grown alarmed by recent territorial gains achieved by Houthi forces across Yemen.
The UAE had previously withdrawn from active involvement in Yemen's conflict. This renewed commitment comes as the Houthis, described by The Guardian as Iran-aligned, have expanded their territorial control, prompting Gulf state leaders to reassess their strategic posture.
The arrangement reflects a shift in regional calculations. Prior disagreements between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over Yemen's political settlement and military strategy had limited their joint action. Houthi advances have now created enough shared concern to overcome these differences, at least on immediate military coordination.
The Guardian does not provide details on the scale of UAE payments, the specific Yemeni forces receiving support, or the scope of Saudi air operations under the new agreement. The report attributes the information to unnamed sources in Yemen rather than official government statements from either the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
Yemen has endured civil war since 2014, when Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of the north. A Saudi-led coalition backing the internationally recognized government has conducted air campaigns for nearly a decade. The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, according to humanitarian assessments.