Saudi-UAE leaders meet as Houthi attacks raise regional tensions

A high-level Saudi-UAE meeting in Riyadh has drawn attention to regional security and the future of relations between the two Gulf allies, coming as Saudi Arabia faces continued missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi movement.

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh on September 29, according to Saudi state media. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman also attended the meeting.

The leaders reviewed bilateral relations and recent developments in the region, with discussions focusing on the longstanding ties between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and ways to strengthen coordination.

The meeting comes at a sensitive time for Riyadh. Saudi Arabia has faced a series of Houthi attacks in recent weeks, with reports indicating that missiles and drones have targeted Saudi tankers, oil facilities, airports and other locations.

Against this backdrop, Sheikh Mansour’s visit represents a significant high-level contact between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi following tensions that emerged between the two countries over the past year, particularly over Yemen.

According to Reuters, Sheikh Mansour travelled to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Prince Khalid bin Salman and separately met the Saudi defence minister. Their talks covered issues of mutual interest as well as ways to increase cooperation and coordination between the two countries.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have remained important regional partners, but differences over Yemen have exposed divisions in their approaches. Riyadh previously accused Abu Dhabi of threatening Saudi national security by supporting a southern Yemeni separatist group. The UAE, meanwhile, announced the withdrawal of its remaining forces from Yemen.

The relationship has shown signs of improvement this year. In July, senior officials from both countries publicly stressed their commitment to bilateral friendship and cooperation, signalling efforts to strengthen ties after the earlier tensions.

The latest meeting, however, did not result in any announced new formal agreement or declaration of a complete reconciliation between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Its timing nevertheless gives the encounter added significance. With Houthi attacks creating security concerns for Saudi Arabia, regional cooperation has become an increasingly important issue for Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia has also been holding discussions with other regional partners. Earlier, Saudi, Pakistani and Turkish military officials met in Riyadh to discuss regional security and defence cooperation.

The Riyadh talks between Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mansour therefore come amid broader efforts to reinforce coordination across the Gulf and wider region. While the meeting alone does not establish a new security framework, it highlights continued high-level engagement between two influential Arab states at a particularly sensitive moment.