Saudi Arabia and UAE rivalry deepens amid US‑Iran conflict

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, once aligned in the Saudi‑led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, are moving toward open rivalry. The Emirates’ recent exit from OPEC and its support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC)—a militia seeking independence for South Yemen—have heightened tensions with Riyadh, which continues to back the internationally recognized Yemeni government.

The dispute extends to broader regional dynamics as the United States intensifies its military and diplomatic pressure on Iran, Lebanon and other Middle‑East states. Norwegian analysts argue this U.S. aggression is part of a wider attempt to maintain American hegemony despite waning global influence. The combined Saudi‑UAE friction and U.S. actions are shaping the political and security landscape of the Gulf and the wider Middle East.