UAE to pull remaining forces from Saudi Arabia following deadly December 28 drone/missile attack on its Mukalla base in Yemen that killed 12 Emirati troops.
Move described as redeployment to focus on homeland and maritime security; marks end of UAE’s direct ground role in Saudi-led coalition against Houthis.
Decision highlights deepening fractures in the Saudi-UAE alliance over Yemen; UAE to maintain limited support for southern Yemeni allies but no longer through bases in Saudi territory.
The United Arab Emirates has announced the withdrawal of its remaining military forces from Saudi Arabia, effective immediately, following a deadly drone and missile attack on a UAE military base in Yemen’s southern port city of Mukalla that killed at least 12 Emirati personnel and wounded more than 30.
The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed the decision late Tuesday, describing it as a “strategic redeployment” in light of the evolving security situation in southern Yemen and the need to refocus resources on homeland defence and maritime security in the Gulf. The statement did not directly link the withdrawal to the December 28 attack, but officials speaking on condition of anonymity said the strike — claimed by the Iran-backed Houthi movement — was a “tipping point” after years of diminishing returns from the Saudi-led coalition’s ground presence.
The Mukalla base, which housed UAE special forces and artillery units supporting the anti-Houthi coalition, was hit by a barrage of drones and ballistic missiles in what Houthis described as retaliation for “ongoing Emirati aggression” in Yemen. The attack marked one of the deadliest on UAE forces since the coalition’s intervention began in 2015.
UAE troops had maintained a significant presence in southern Yemen, particularly in Hadramout and Shabwa governorates, long after the main Saudi ground forces scaled back operations in 2019–2020. The withdrawal from Saudi territory itself — where UAE units had been stationed at forward operating bases near the Yemen border — signals the effective end of the UAE’s direct participation in the Saudi-led ground campaign.
Riyadh has yet to issue an official response, though Saudi officials privately expressed disappointment, viewing the move as further evidence of the coalition’s fragmentation. Analysts say the UAE’s decision reflects a broader policy shift toward de-escalation in Yemen, prioritising economic interests, normalisation with Israel, and countering Iranian influence through diplomacy and proxy forces rather than large-scale troop deployments.
The UAE will continue limited support for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and anti-Houthi forces in southern Yemen through advisors, air support and funding, but no longer via permanent ground contingents based in Saudi Arabia.
