Saudi-led Coalition: Yemen Separatist Leader Fled with UAE Help, Escalating Row

• Saudi-led coalition claims Yemen's separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi fled with UAE assistance.
• Zubaidi, head of UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), reportedly escaped by boat, then aircraft to Abu Dhabi via Mogadishu.
• The incident escalates a major dispute between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, fracturing their Yemen coalition.
• Zubaidi failed to attend crisis talks in Riyadh, with his group claiming he was threatened to go.
• The alleged escape highlights deep differences between the close US allies on Middle East geopolitics.

Why It Matters: Zubaidi's alleged UAE-assisted escape deepens Saudi-UAE rift over Yemen conflict.