Riyadh-Abu Dhabi rift deepens as Saudi outlets launch unprecedented attack on UAE

Saudi Arabia’s media has escalated its criticism of the United Arab Emirates in an unusually hostile tone, with some outlets openly accusing Abu Dhabi of “treason” and supporting an Israeli-backed regional project — rhetoric not seen in the Gulf since the 2017 crisis with Qatar.

The campaign comes amid growing tensions between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi over regional files, particularly in Yemen, where the two Gulf powers are backing opposing factions. The latest escalation follows clashes in Yemen in which Saudi Arabia intervened in support of the internationally recognised Yemeni government against separatist forces linked to the UAE.

For weeks, Saudi media and social media platforms have intensified attacks on the Emirates, accusing it of fuelling instability, inciting division, and committing abuses. Commentators have described the rhetoric as reflecting a widening political rift between the two neighbours.

In a report aired this week, Saudi state broadcaster Al-Ekhbariya accused the UAE of “investing in chaos” and supporting separatist movements from Libya to Yemen and across the Horn of Africa.

Analysts say the current discourse is the most confrontational in years, drawing comparisons with the diplomatic and trade boycott imposed on Qatar in 2017 by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — a crisis that lasted more than three years.

Despite Gulf states typically projecting an image of unity, stability and economic openness, observers say the rising political hostility threatens to trigger a broader regional crisis.

“Saudi Arabia and the UAE have had major points of tension for years, but now they are more visible than ever before,” security analyst Anna Jacobs told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “The exchange of insults on social media is reminiscent of the recent Gulf dispute, and Riyadh is clearly highlighting its differences with Abu Dhabi’s regional policies, showing no signs of backing down.”

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