UAE Accused of Smuggling Yemeni Separatist, Igniting Saudi Fury

• Saudi Arabia alleges UAE secretly smuggled Yemeni separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi, wanted for treason, to Abu Dhabi.
• Al-Zubaidi, head of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), reportedly fled Yemen via Somalia before reaching Abu Dhabi.
• The accusation escalates tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE, already strained over their Yemen war partnership.
• Saudi Major General Turki al-Maliki accused a UAE Major General of aiding al-Zubaidi's escape, revealing his code name.
• The Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft used was linked to 'conflict-ridden regions' where UAE allegedly smuggled weapons, a claim UAE denies.

Why It Matters: Saudi Arabia's accusation against UAE over a Yemeni separatist leader deepens Gulf tensions.