The Crisis in South Yemen and the Saudi-UAE Rivalry

Noa Lazimi details how the UAE-backed STC’s territorial gains in South Yemen provide a strategic opportunity to weaken the Houthis and disrupt Iranian smuggling, despite ongoing friction between Saudi and Emirati interests. Simultaneously, Israel’s recognition of Somaliland secures a critical vantage point for intelligence and UAV operations near the Bab el-Mandeb strait. She recommends pragmatic cooperation with these regional actors to counter Houthi threats while carefully safeguarding normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia.

The briefing was held as part of IDSF – Israel’s Defense and Security Forum on January 6, 2026.