Saudi 24 -Hour Ultimatum compels UAE to Leave As Tensions Escalate
Diplomat Foreign Desk
SANA: The Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) have finally come face to face in the ongoing tension following the blowing-up of the armoured vehicles in Yemen’s port amid whispering betrayal of alliances crumbling under the weight of ambition and long – simmering distrust.
These foreign military shipments for the UAE backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in Yemen were strongly opposed by the Saudi alliance. As a result, the Royal Saudi Air Force struck at them, bringing the already tense relations to the edge.
For years, the Saudi Forces and UAE fought side – by -side reportedly against the Houthi rebels. However, the dangerous game of proxy worked separately in the respective interest of both the alliance countries to promote their alliance partners that ultimately sparked a challenge to regional stability.
The UAE forces have started moving their military assists out of Yemen as the tensions grew, following the Saudi F15 strike at Mukalla port City on December 29, 2025.
In a statement, it was claimed the vessel was smuggling weapons that threatened the fragile stability of the region and Saudi Arabia’s own borders, while the UAE Ministry of Defense denounced the strikes as a “reckless act of aggression.”
Further clarifying, the UAE claimed that the ship carried only logistical supplies for their anti – terrorism units and this was fully known to the Saudi-led coalition.
Meanwhile, Captain Tariq Al-Mansouri, a veteran Emirati special-forces operative embedded with the STC near Mukalla, watched the smoke plume from the docks with a sickening lurch in his gut.
“This wasn’t a mistake; this was a declaration,” he observes.
Riyadh’s Ultimatum:
Hours after the Mukalla strike, a televised address from Riyadh sent shockwaves through the region. Rashad al-Alimi, the head of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), his face grim, announced the immediate abrogation of the joint defense pact with the UAE.
“The presence of Emirati forces, or any forces operating outside the clear mandate of the legitimate Govt, is no longer tolerable. All UAE military and paramilitary personnel are ordered to withdraw from the Republic of Yemen within 24 hours. Failure to comply will be met with decisive action,” PLC Head threatened, under direct support from Saudi Arabia, leaving UAE isolated in a hostile situation.
Southern Yemen:
Amid sudden shift from alliance to enemy was disorienting, General Hamdan Al-Kaabi, commander of Emirati Forces in Yemen, received the formal diplomatic note hours later asking the Emirati Forces to move everything they can and destroy what they can’t move.
The Emirati forces were directed to evacuate all personnel, leaving the STC leaders in the crossfire. They are now left to face full might of Saudi Arabia all alone.
Meanwhile, Emirati transport planes, guarded by a heightened alert from their air force, began a rapid, dangerous airlift from hastily secured airfields. Convoys of armored vehicles, once symbols of strength, now sped towards ports, their movements shadowed by Saudi drones.
Exactly after the 24 hours ultimatum on December 31, 2025, the UAE Ministry of Defense issued a statement “All Emirati forces and military personnel have successfully completed their withdrawal from the Republic of Yemen.”
Dangerous Dimension: Saudi Arabia now stood as the undisputed power in the internationally recognized Govt. The silence from the once – allied nations was deafening, a testament to the bitter end of a partnership forged in conflict and shattered by ambition. Hence, the tremors of its fallout would resonate across the Middle East for years to come.
