Daijiworld Media Network - Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, Feb 21: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has sent a lengthy letter to the UAE’s National Security Advisor Tahnoon bin Zayed, raising serious concerns over Abu Dhabi’s activities in Sudan and Yemen, according to multiple US and Western officials cited by Middle East Eye (MEE).
The letter, sent a few weeks ago, reportedly outlined detailed Saudi grievances against the UAE while offering mediation through the crown prince’s brother and Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman.
In the correspondence, Mohammed bin Salman is said to have told Tahnoon—often nicknamed the “spy sheikh”—that Saudi Arabia could no longer “tolerate” Sudan’s civil war while accusing the UAE of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The letter also defended Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen as vital for national security. Riyadh reaffirmed that it views Yemen as its sphere of influence and intends to take responsibility for stabilising the war-torn nation along its southern border.
Tensions escalated in December when Saudi Arabia attacked the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southern Yemen. Riyadh later bombed an Emirati weapons shipment in Mukalla port and provided air support and intelligence to Yemen’s internationally recognised government to push back the STC.
The crown prince described the UAE’s decision to send military aid to the STC without Saudi approval as a “red line”. The letter also criticised what it called a covert UAE operation in January to extract former STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi from Yemen after he was charged with high treason.
Officials familiar with the correspondence said it did not contain a signature section, but Washington assessed that it was sent by Mohammed bin Salman. The letter was reportedly drafted with the United States in mind, clearly articulating Saudi grievances while emphasising “brotherly ties” between the two Gulf allies.
US President Donald Trump publicly acknowledged the rift for the first time this week, telling reporters, “They do indeed have a rift,” and adding that he could “get it settled very easily.”
According to MEE, Saudi Arabia was surprised by suggestions that it had urged the US to impose sanctions on the UAE. The outlet earlier reported that the crown prince planned to lobby Trump against the UAE during a White House visit in November. Trump later confirmed that Saudi Arabia had sought his intervention in the conflict, though he did not name the UAE.
Some analysts believe Saudi lobbying may have influenced the UAE’s decision to support a major STC offensive in Yemen in December.
The episode underscores the pivotal role played by Tahnoon bin Zayed within the UAE leadership. One of six influential brothers known as the “Bani Fatima”, sons of the UAE’s founder Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, Tahnoon oversees approximately $1 trillion in Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth and conducts shuttle diplomacy on behalf of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed.
Current and former US and Arab officials describe Tahnoon as more pragmatic than his brother, noting his role in re-establishing relations between the UAE and Qatar following the 2017 blockade.
The exchange of letters highlights that managing the widening rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi may ultimately remain a family-driven affair at the highest levels of Gulf leadership.