Saudi Arabia has publicly accused the United Arab Emirates – a fellow Gulf Arab state and former partner in the Yemen war – of undermining its national security, an unusually blunt charge that exposes a rift long kept behind closed doors.

The confrontation threatened to open a new front in Yemen’s decadelong war, with forces allied against the Iran-backed Houthis possibly turning their sights on each other in the Arab world’s poorest nation,

The UAE said Tuesday it was pulling its remaining forces out of Yemen, following a Saudi demand to withdraw within 24 hours as tensions escalate over a sweeping offensive by Abu Dhabi-backed separatists.

The online escalation follows Saudi Arabia’s bombing of what it described as a UAE-linked weapons shipment in southern Yemen on 30 December. Riyadh said the shipment had arrived at the port of Mukalla aboard two vessels originating from Fujairah and was bound for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by Abu Dhabi.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr is kicking off 2026 with a trip to the UAE, marking his first overseas visit of the year and putting sustainability and economic ties front and centre.The working visit begins on Monday,

The UAE has updated its Commercial Companies Law, granting businesses registered there a formal "citizenship" status, effective in 2026.

The UAE hasn't yet responded to the accusation. The situation further escalates tensions between the neighboring nations on the Arabian Peninsula.

The UAE plans to invest $150 billion in gas by 2030, boosting output by 50%, achieving gas self-sufficiency, while also creating a surplus to export.