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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a lengthy letter to UAE National Security Adviser Tahnoon bin Zayed complaining about Abu Dhabi's activities in Sudan and Yemen, seeking mediation while outlining Riyadh's grievances against its Gulf neighbor, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported Friday.
The letter, sent several weeks ago, was shared with the United States and provided a detailed list of Saudi complaints against the UAE, even as it offered mediation through the crown prince's brother and adviser, Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, the report said, citing multiple U.S. and Western officials.
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The letter, reported by MEE, informed Tahnoon—nicknamed the "spy sheikh"—that Saudi Arabia could no longer “tolerate” Sudan’s civil war while its neighbor backed the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Saudi Arabia has been supporting the Sudanese Army alongside Egypt and Türkiye against the UAE-aligned RSF.
The correspondence was reportedly written with Washington in mind, spelling out the kingdom's issues with the UAE while stressing the "brotherly ties" between them.
The letter justified Saudi Arabia's military intervention in Yemen as necessary for national security and reaffirmed that the kingdom sees Yemen as its sphere of influence, with Riyadh planning to take "responsibility" for the war-torn country on its southern border.
"Saudi Arabia attacked the UAE's secessionist allies in southern Yemen in December and has since moved to push its neighbor out of the country entirely," the report noted.
The crown prince said Saudi Arabia viewed the UAE's decision to send military aid to the Southern Transitional Council without Riyadh's approval as a "red line," MEE reported.
Saudi Arabia bombed an Emirati weapons shipment in the port of Mukalla in late December and then provided air support and intelligence to Yemen's internationally recognized government to evict the STC.
The letter also reportedly criticized the UAE for orchestrating a covert operation in early January to extract former STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi from Yemen after he was charged with high treason.
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