UAE and Saudi Arabia reaffirm their co-operation on Yemen

The two countries say they will keep working together to preserve Yemen under the leadership of its legitimate president

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pledged on Monday to continue to work together against Yemen's Houthi rebels. AP

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have reaffirmed their continued military and political co-operation in their effort to help the people of Yemen.

In a joint statement released on the UAE and Saudi Arabia's official press agencies, they said that Arab Coalition forces had made great sacrifices in Yemen and both countries sought to preserve the country under the leadership of the legitimate President, Abdrabu Mansur Hadi.

"The governments of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, in line with their responsibility to support the legitimacy of Yemen in order to save Yemen and its people from the coup of the Iranian-backed Houthi militia, emphasise the continuation of all their political, military, relief and development efforts with the support of the Coalition countries," they said.

The statement came as the Houthis launched at least six ballistic missiles and two drone attacks into Saudi Arabia, keeping up its pressure on the kingdom.

The missiles were launched from the Saada province against civilians in Jizan city, in the south-west of the kingdom, coalition spokesman Col Turki Al Malki told the Saudi News Agency.

Col Al Malki denounced the attacks, saying the Houthis’ “hostile and terrorist acts have been rated as war crimes according to the humanitarian international law”.

Coalition forces also intercepted and shot down two Houthi drones launched from Yemen on Sunday evening.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE will "continue to address the Houthis and all terrorist organisations in Yemen", Monday's statement said.

Saudi vice minister of defence, Khalid bin Salman, said on Monday that Riyadh and Abu Dhabi were working together to ensure that security and stability prevailed in Yemen.

“Internal dialogue, and not fighting, is the only way to resolve internal Yemeni differences,” Prince Khalid, a son of Saudi King Salman, said on Twitter.

“We are working with the UAE for security and stability in Aden, Shabwa and Abyan and to unify ranks and voices to combat terrorist threats, whether from the Iran-backed Houthis or from Al Qaeda and Daesh."

The statement by the kingdom and the UAE affirms the "brotherly ties" between the two states, said the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohammed Al Jaber.

"It also affirms the determination of the two countries' joint leadership to restore security and stability" in Yemen, Mr Al Jaber said on Twitter.

The Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel Al Jubeir, also praised the political co-operation between the two countries.

"The Arab Coalition, led by the kingdom, and our brothers in the UAE, is working on restoring security and stability in Aden, Sabwa and Abyan," Mr Al Jubeir said on Twitter.

Solid relations between Saudi and the UAE are crucial for the future of the region, the Saudi minister said.

Mr Al Jubeir said the kingdom "will spare no efforts until stability and security are restored throughout Yemen".

The only way Yemen will overcome its troubles is through the dialogue that was called for by the kingdom and in having a united front to combat Iran's interference, he said.

The Arab Coalition has been fighting for the internationally recognised Yemeni government against the rebels since 2015.

The rebels, who seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, have increased drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia in recent months.

While most were intercepted, some have caused deaths and injuries, including two strikes on Abha airport in June and July.