AhlulBayt News Agency: A strategic analysis published by Foreign Affairs warns that tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are deepening into a broad strategic rivalry that increasingly resembles open confrontation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
According to Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, the roots of the dispute lie in southern and eastern Yemen, where competing agendas between the two states have gradually surfaced despite their formal alliance.
Tools of an Open Rivalry The report notes that the conflict has shifted from behind‑the‑scenes disagreements to open rivalry, with several key dynamics emerging:
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Failure of containment: Diplomatic efforts, even by the United States, can no longer manage the disputes between the two allies.
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Broadening scope: While direct military confrontation remains unlikely, the “cold war” between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi now spans economic policy, security, and regional influence.
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Revealing strategies: Abu Dhabi continues to rely on covert maneuvers, while Saudi Arabia has adopted a more transparent approach, exposing Emirati actions to curb its regional influence.
The Struggle for Control The analysis confirms long‑standing warnings from Sana’a that the Saudi‑led coalition lacks a coherent plan for Yemen, instead treating the country as a battleground for regional competition.
Saudi Arabia, viewing itself as the region’s leader, increasingly clashes with Emirati ambitions, as the UAE uses its southern proxies to impose political and military realities that advance its interests in strategic ports and maritime corridors—pushing the region toward a boiling point.
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