Saudi Arabia invites UAE leader amid Yemen rift

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s defence minister invited UAE’s Vice President Mansour bin Zayed to visit the kingdom on Tuesday, in the first public invitation for a face-to-face meeting since a rift between the two over Yemen. In July, top officials and ministers in both countries posted about friendship and unity on social media, signalling a rapprochement months after a public fallout between the two countries. “His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defence, extended an invitation to his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the sisterly United Arab Emirates, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Court, to visit the Kingdom tomorrow, Tuesday, ” the defence ministry said in a statement on X. During the July detente, Saudi General Entertainment Authority Chairman Turki Alalshikh posted a picture of bin Salman alongside Sheikh Mansour that he said was taken a few days ago. The Saudi olive branch came as the kingdom reels from weeks of Houthi attacks on its tankers, oil facilities, airports and even its capital, with the group taking control of the Red Sea coast from Yemeni government forces. The kingdom has for weeks been reaching out to international allies for help in Yemen. A source from the Yemeni leader’s office told AFP earlier this week that he requested American support in a call with US President Donald Trump against the Houthis. The New York Times said the Saudi crown prince called Trump on Sunday seeking help to counter the group’s advance. Published in Dawn, September 29th, 2026

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