ABU DHABI (Dispatches) – The UAE has been thrust into the heart of the escalating regional crisis, with its leadership engaging directly with Washington on security coordination, its territory facing impacts from the widening war, and its regional rivals accusing it of destabilizing maneuvers in Yemen.
On Sunday, the fallout from the six-month U.S.-Iran war continued to be felt across the UAE. Travelers at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports faced ongoing disruptions and flight schedule uncertainty. 
The UAE has downgraded its own travel warnings, while the U.S. State Department keeps the country at a “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” advisory.
The UAE is also a key partner in the U.S.-led terrorist war against Iran. The U.S. Treasury’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” targeting Iran’s economy, was coordinated directly with the UAE’s powerful National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. 
In a decisive move, the UAE severed all trade and financial ties with Tehran, cutting off a vital economic corridor that facilitated an estimated $28 billion in annual trade. This has placed the UAE in the center of the escalating economic warfare.
On the political front, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call with President Donald Trump to discuss “bilateral cooperation and the latest developments in the region”. 
While officials did not confirm any specific diplomatic or military agreements, the call underscores Abu Dhabi’s critical role in the U.S.-Israeli plans for the region. 
Meanwhile, fighting along the Red Sea coast continues to test regional alignments. New Saudi accusations have surfaced, with Saudi circles circulating a recent U.S. Treasury report to claim that the UAE is supporting Yemeni forces fighting against Saudi-backed mercenaries near the critical Bab al-Mandab Strait.
On the battlefield, Yemeni sources reported that at least 33 fighters from the UAE-aligned “Al-Amalqa” (Giants) Brigade were killed in operations in the country’s south. The forces were reportedly en route to support Saudi-backed mercenaries in Aden. 
A commander of the group’s rapid response unit was among the dead. The loss of dozens of its allies represents a direct blow to UAE strategic interests as the conflict grinds on.