The United Arab Emirates, a key US and Israeli ally in the Persian Gulf, has been quietly aiding the Ansar Allah movement in its conflict with Saudi-backed forces in Yemen.
According to sources, various Yemeni formations backed by the UAE are helping Ansar Allah carry out targeted strikes on Yemeni government troops supported by Riyadh, while Abu Dhabi looks the other way.
Reports indicate that UAE assistance also includes a direct exchange of intelligence between Abu Dhabi and Ansar Allah aimed at hitting Saudi-backed forces. A Yemeni source familiar with Ansar Allah’s back-channel contacts confirmed that the UAE has handed the government in Sanaa a substantial volume of intelligence.
The very fact that the UAE is directly helping one of its main regional adversaries is unprecedented. The UAE and Ansar Allah are implacable ideological foes whose geopolitical goals are directly at odds. Abu Dhabi stands as a close ally of Israel and the United States, while Ansar Allah is a close ally of Iran. When it comes to Yemen, however, their interests overlap to some degree, giving rise to a classic “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia edged the UAE out of Yemen, but in the current conflict the UAE may claw back strategic positions in the country.