“Power struggle” expanded between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
In 2015, to restore dictatorial rule to Yemen as well as plunder the country's oil and gas and its natural wealth, Saudi Arabia created a coalition of some of its regional and transatlantic allies, targeting Yemen which is the poorest Arab state.
Although the Saudis claimed that their “Operation Decisive Storm” against the defenseless Yemeni people could come to an end in less than a week, no major goals have so far been met, assuming there were any clear goals besides destruction to begin with.
However, the determination of the armed forces and the popular committees of Yemen, has been obvious. At the head of them, Ansarallah, has proven to be the main reason for the failure of the military incursions of the Saudis and their allies in Yemen. But of the main factors behind the disaster in Yemen is the emergence and deepening of the divisions between Saudi Arabia and some members of the coalition.
After realizing the expansionist aims of Saudi Arabia by the Emiratis in Yemen, Abu Dhabi also took the same path to seek power.
The first disputes between the two sides were for the support of Saudi and Emirati officials from mercenary elements that the two sides did not agree on. The UAE believed that the best person to rule Yemen is Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni dictator who was overthrown. The Saudis always believed that there was no better option than Mansour Hadi to return to Yemen.
Following these differences, a sharp clash between Saudi mercenaries and the Emirate-backed forces occurred in February last year. According to the latest reports, more than 200 mercenaries were killed on both sides during the conflict and many others wounded.
Saudi Arabia has not allowed the United Arab Emirates to have much influence on the strikes in Yemen. Failure to fulfill UAE objectives for domination of strategic areas has angered Abu Dhabi especially.
This issues provoked the Emirates authorities last year to restrain their presence and activities in the Saudi-led coalition. Clashes between Saudi and Emirati mercenaries have intensified with the formation of the Southern Transitional Council of the UAE in Aden. While Saudis and Emirati also have a greedy eye on oil and gas resources in southern Yemen.
It is clear that Yemen has sparked a rivalry between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The innocent people in the country are being killed so that the Saudis and Emiratis will achieve their expansionist goals, dominate the strategic areas of the country, and exploit its natural wealth, including oil and gas.
The Saudis promised to end disputes with the UAE during an aggressive operation in the city of al-Hudaydah. That's precisely why they arranged the joint high-level meeting a couple of weeks ago in which the Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman talked to his UAE counterpart Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Although the visit was apparently friendly, it did not resolve their differences.
The disagreement between the two sides during this joint visit let to the failure of the Saudis to dominate the strategic city of Al Hudaydah.
The split between coalition countries against Yemen, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have been one of the major factors behind their failures in al-Hudaydah, a city which, despite a naval and air blockade, remains under the control of Ansarullah's forces and has not fallen to the foreign coalition.
Source: Tehran Times