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The United Arab Emirates has categorically denied information that it is in talks with the United States over a possible ground offensive against the Yemeni Houthis, who control a large part of the country. This was reported by Reuters on Wednesday, citing a statement by Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs.
“These are wild, unconfirmed stories,” Nusseibe said, commenting on recent publications in Western media.
What the WSJ and Bloomberg wrote
The information wave began after the Wall Street Journal reported on a possible plan for a ground offensive along the Red Sea coast. According to the article, Yemeni groups opposed to the Houthis are allegedly planning to take advantage of US air strikes to launch a new offensive. The article also referred to consultations between the UAE and official Washington.
Later , Bloomberg reported that anti-Houthi forces were in talks with the US and Gulf allies about possible support for a ground operation.
Historical context: the war in Yemen and the role of the UAE
The UAE was part of the Saudi-led coalition that has been supporting the internationally recognised government of Yemen since 2015 in its fight against the Houthis, a Shiite armed group backed by Iran. However, in 2019, the UAE significantly reduced its presence in Yemen, leaving only limited forces in place.
In 2022, the conflict actually entered a truce phase, after which the Houthis retained control over most of the western part of the country, where the majority of the population lives.
In November 2023, the Houthis began attacking ships in the Red Sea, explaining this by expressing solidarity with the Palestinians in the context of the war in Gaza. In response, US President Donald Trump ordered intensified air strikes, saying that if the attacks on shipping continued, the Houthis would “face hell like they’ve never seen before”.
Shaky coalition and divisions among allies
Yemen remains politically and militarily fragmented: there are deep divisions among the coalition’s allies – between government forces, Sunni Islamist groups and southern separatists. Analysts point out that Saudi Arabia and the UAE support different factions.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia effectively curtailed its military campaign in Yemen in favour of peace talks, coinciding with its diplomatic rapprochement with Iran.
So far, the Pentagon and the Saudi government have refrained from commenting. The UAE has officially stated that it is not involved in any discussion of a possible offensive, stressing the priority of a diplomatic settlement.
