Saudi Arabia bombed a port in Yemen, an operation it said targeted a UAE-backed separatist group and which threatened to deepen divisions between the Gulf powers.
Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are butting against each other in a regional race over finance, technology, and energy. But their geopolitical moves are also in tension: They back opposing forces in Yemen, and Saudi Arabia has pushed for an end to the civil war in Sudan in which the UAE stands accused of backing a paramilitary force — charges it denies.
Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has also exposed their diverging interests: Dubai owns a port in the breakaway republic, whereas Riyadh was among more than 20 Arab and African countries to reject Israel’s move.