US secretary of state discusses Yemen crisis with UAE foreign minister

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on Tuesday with United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with discussions centered on the rapidly deteriorating situation in Yemen. According to a brief readout from State Department Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott, the two diplomats discussed "the situation in Yemen and broader issues affecting Middle Eastern security and stability."

A Call Amid Military Escalation and Diplomatic Rupture

The high-level diplomatic contact occurred against a backdrop of direct military action and severe political fallout within the anti-Houthi coalition in Yemen. Just prior to the call, the Saudi-led coalition announced it had conducted a "limited military operation" targeting a shipment of weapons and combat vehicles at the port of Mukalla in southern Yemen. The coalition stated the shipment, which arrived from the UAE, lacked proper authorization. This airstrike was a tangible manifestation of the growing rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over Yemeni policy.

The Root Cause: A Secessionist Advance

The underlying trigger for the crisis was the seizure of Yemen's eastern Hadramout and Al-Mahra provinces earlier this month by the Southern Transitional Council (STC), the main secessionist force in the country. The STC is financially and militarily backed by the UAE. Its advance against Yemen's internationally recognized government—which is supported by Saudi Arabia—prompted the government to cancel its defense pact with the UAE and demand the withdrawal of Emirati forces. Saudi Arabia later publicly endorsed this demand, calling the UAE's actions a threat to its national security.

US Diplomatic Engagement in a Fragmented Arena

Secretary Rubio's call underscores the United States' concern over a major fracture between two of its key Gulf partners, which threatens to further destabilize Yemen and complicate regional security. The US has historically supported the Saudi-led coalition's campaign against the Houthis but now faces the challenge of mediating between its allies. The crisis also impacts the strategic calculations of other regional powers invested in Yemen's outcome, including Türkiye, which supports the country's territorial integrity and a unified political resolution.