Photo caption: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud (right) and Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani attend a consultative ministerial meeting in Riyadh on March 19, 2026. (Fayez Nureldine/AFP). Photo previously published by The Times of Israel in March 2026.

The renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, alongside growing tensions between the United States and Iran, may be reshaping relations between the Gulf’s two most influential powers—Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In recent months, relations between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have experienced significant strains. Much of the disagreement centered on Yemen’s civil war, where the UAE supported local factions whose interests did not always align with Saudi policy. Additional differences emerged over Sudan, approaches toward Iran, and relations with Turkey and Pakistan.

Over the past week, however, there have been growing signs of a renewed effort to present a united front. According to Reuters, senior Saudi and Emirati officials have publicly emphasized the strength of bilateral ties. Saudi Minister of Media Salman Al-Dosari and Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Hamed, Chairman of the UAE’s National Media Office, published remarkably........

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