Yemen conflict reshapes Saudi-UAE ties

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met United Arab Emirates Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

According to Arab News, the two dignitaries discussed "bilateral relations and developments in the region", adding that the they also reviewed relations between Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Earlier in the day, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman received Al Nahyan, Saudi state media reported, as Saudi Arabia faces increasing pressure from the Houthis, who have fired salvos of missiles and drones at the kingdom.

The UAE withdrew from Yemen earlier this year after Saudi Arabia accused it of backing a military operation by Yemeni separatists that it said posed a national security threat to the kingdom.

UAE state news agency WAM said Sheikh Mansour would travel to the kingdom in a "fraternal visit" upon the extended invitation, without providing further details.

Saudi Arabia has been trying to rally international support to confront the Houthis, but it was not immediately clear if that request extended to the UAE.

The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital since 2014, seized the country's Red Sea coast this month in a lightning advance that routed forces of an internationally recognised Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and based in the south.

Saudi Arabia has launched hundreds of strikes in recent days on the fighters' positions in the highlands, according to the Houthis. But the air power advantage has so far done little to slow the advance of the fighters as Saudi-backed government forces have melted away.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday denied reports that representatives from the Kingdom attended a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Abu Dhabi at the weekend.

Israeli journalist Dror Balazada on Monday posted on social media that Saudi representatives joined an expanded meeting after Netanyahu met Sheikh Mohamed, with discussions reportedly focusing on security cooperation, Iran, the Houthis and regional defense systems.

A Saudi source told Arab News that there was no truth to the reports circulating about the presence of a Saudi representative at the meeting.