United Arab Emirates forces have begun departing parts of Yemen following Saudi demands and a series of intensified air and ground strikes that underscored Riyadh’s determination to reassert control over the coalition campaign.

The move marks a significant adjustment in the balance of power within the Saudi-led alliance and highlights growing strategic divergence between the two Gulf partners over the direction of the conflict.

According to regional officials and security sources, Saudi Arabia pressed Abu Dhabi to scale back or remove its remaining military presence after disagreements over command authority, local alliances and operational priorities came to a head.

The withdrawal follows a period of heightened military activity, including strikes aimed at reinforcing Saudi-backed positions and signalling that parallel chains of influence would no longer be tolerated.

UAE forces, which had already reduced their footprint in previous years, retained influence through allied local units and strategic locations, particularly in southern and coastal areas.

Their departure reflects both Saudi insistence on unified command and the UAE’s broader recalibration away from direct military engagement toward economic and diplomatic leverage.

Yemeni officials said the redeployment could reshape local power dynamics, especially in regions where Emirati-backed groups had played a stabilising role.

While Riyadh and Abu Dhabi continue to coordinate on regional security and counterterrorism, the episode illustrates how differing assessments of risk, cost and end goals in Yemen are driving a more transactional relationship.

The withdrawal comes as Saudi Arabia intensifies efforts to manage the conflict on its own terms, amid cautious diplomatic outreach and continued military pressure designed to secure its strategic objectives.