Abu Dhabi (CNN) The United Arab Emirates has reduced its forces in Yemen as part of a "strategic" redeployment, a senior Emirati official said Monday.

The UAE is a major coalition partner in the Saudi-led military campaign to quash Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. It has intervened in the country's war since March 2015.

Emirati and Saudi forces have sought to prop up the United Nations-recognized government of Abdu Rabbu Mansour al-Hadi after Houthi fighters took over the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in 2014.

Last month, Reuters reported the UAE had ordered the partial withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country because of domestic security concerns . Abu Dhabi preferred to have forces and equipment close by in case of a further escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, the Reuters report said, citing three unnamed diplomats.

Since May, six oil tankers have been attacked in the Gulf and Tehran has downed an unmanned US drone

But Emirati officials said they reduced their troops in Yemen due to a winding down of the conflict there. "You can't be blind to other geostrategic concerns," the senior official told CNN, referring to the wider security threats in the region. "But fundamentally this is really about Yemen."

The official said the draw-down would affect two main areas: the coastal Yemeni city of Hodeidah , where a withdrawal of Houthi forces has been negotiated, and the Eritrean port city of Assab, a staging ground for UAE operations against Houthis in Yemen.

"We feel in Hodeidah there is a political agreement that we are backing, and it makes a lot of sense for us to redeploy away from Hodeidah," the official said. The withdrawal of Houthi fighters from the strategic city was part of an agreement reached between Yemen's warring parties in Stockholm last December.

The UAE says it plans to shift its focus from fighting Houthi rebels to combating extremist Islamist groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

"Our commitment in Yemen remains. We are part of the Coalition," the official said.

"Our discussion over our current redeployment has been ongoing for over a year. It has been heightened after the signing of the Stockholm agreement in December," he added. "So this is not really a last-minute decision. But part of a process. It's a process within the coalition that has been discussed extensively with our partners," the official said. </s> UAE draws down troops in Yemen in 'strategic redeployment'

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates has drawn down its troop levels in Yemen but remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels there.

A senior Emirati official confirmed Monday that UAE troop levels are down, describing it as a "strategic redeployment." The official declined to disclose how many troops have left Yemen and how many remain.

In discussing the drawdown of troops in Yemen, the Emirati official also noted the "overall geostrategic picture" in reference to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf region. The UAE, which supports U.S. sanctions on Iran, has also called for a de-escalation.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss troop deployments for security reasons. </s> DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The United Arab Emirates has drawn down its troop levels in Yemen but remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels there, a senior Emirati official said Monday.

The official confirmed that UAE troop levels are down, describing it as a "strategic redeployment." The official declined to disclose how many soldiers have left Yemen and how many remain.

"Definitely, we do have troop levels that are down for reasons that are strategic in Hodeida and reasons that are tactical," the official said, referring to the Yemeni port city where a U.N.-brokered cease-fire is supposed to be in place.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss troop deployments for security reasons.

Talking to journalists in Dubai, the official said it makes sense to redeploy away from Hodeida and by extension from the UAE's military base at Eritrea's post of Assab, which was a staging ground for Emirati operations in Hodeida.

Any other redeployment in others parts of Yemen "will ebb and flow based our own assessment of what the situation involves," the official said.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, Emirati soldiers stand guard out the rear gate of a Chinook military helicopter traveling from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. The United Arab Emirates has drawn down the number of its troops in Yemen, but has not withdrawn from the country and remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war there, a senior Emirati official confirmed Monday, July 8,2 019. The official declined to give figures on how many troops have been withdrawn or how many remain in Yemen, but said the UAE remains committed to the Saudi-led coalition there. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, File)

"Our commitment in Yemen remains. We are part of the coalition," the official said, adding that the drawdown was discussed extensively with the Saudis.

Yemeni military officials and tribal leaders, who also insisted on speaking anonymously to discuss the situation, said the UAE redeployed forces from the eastern province of Marib. Meanwhile, they said Emirati military reinforcements were sent to the southern provinces of Dhale and Shabwa. They said the UAE had also redeployed its forces and weapons to the Red Sea port town of Mocha.

The Houthis said in May they would begin to redeploy from three key ports in Yemen, including in Hodeida, which handles 70 percent of Yemen's food imports and humanitarian aid. The long-delayed redeployment of Houthi forces there is seen as a key first step toward ending the civil war, which erupted in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa.

The Saudi-led coalition has been at war in Yemen since 2015 to support the country's internationally-backed government. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and the war has generated the world's worst humanitarian crisis, drawing sharp bipartisan criticism in Congress.

In discussing the drawdown of troops in Yemen, the Emirati official also noted the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf region, saying the UAE was not blind to "the overall geostrategic picture."

Concerns spiked in the UAE after four oil tankers were hit off its coast of Fujairah in May in an attack that the U.S. has blamed on Iran.

A number of American academics and analysts who met recently with Emirati military officials say that in addition to withdrawing a significant number of troops from Yemen, the Emiratis have also moved Patriot batteries and other defense systems from Yemen back to the UAE to boost security and readiness at home amid heightened tensions with Iran.

"We're very, very protected when it comes to drones ... Patriots, Thaad system. But you know again, I think mostly, we are also protected through what I would say is continuous diplomacy," the Emirati official said before adding "our whole effort has been at de-escalation."

The UAE supports U.S. sanctions on Iran, but has also stressed that war with Iran is not in the region's interest.

In addition to the four oil tankers hit in May, two other tankers were attacked in June in the Gulf of Oman, forcing crews on both ships to be rescued and evacuate. Iran denies any involvement.

Over the same period, Iranian-allied rebels in Yemen, known as Houthis, upped their attacks on Saudi Arabia, using bomb-laden drones and missiles to target a Saudi airport, killing a civilian and wounding dozens others. The Houthis also claimed an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline. </s> DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates has drawn down its troop levels in Yemen but remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels there, a senior Emirati official said Monday.

The official confirmed that UAE troop levels are down, describing it as a “strategic redeployment.” The official declined to disclose how many soldiers have left Yemen and how many remain.

“Definitely, we do have troop levels that are down for reasons that are strategic in Hodeida and reasons that are tactical,” the official said, referring to the Yemeni port city where a U.N.-brokered cease-fire is supposed to be in place.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss troop deployments for security reasons.

Talking to journalists in Dubai, the official said it makes sense to redeploy away from Hodeida and by extension from the UAE’s military base at Eritrea’s post of Assab, which was a staging ground for Emirati operations in Hodeida.

Any other redeployment in others parts of Yemen “will ebb and flow based our own assessment of what the situation involves,” the official said.

“Our commitment in Yemen remains. We are part of the coalition,” the official said, adding that the drawdown was discussed extensively with the Saudis.

The Saudi-led coalition has been at war in Yemen since 2015 to support the country’s internationally-backed government. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and the war has generated the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, drawing sharp bipartisan criticism in Congress.

When discussing the drawdown, the Emirati official also noted the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf region, saying the UAE was not blind to “the overall geostrategic picture.”

A number of American academics and analysts who met recently with Emirati military officials say that in addition to withdrawing a significant number of troops from Yemen, the Emiratis have also moved Patriot batteries and other defense systems from Yemen back to the UAE to boost security and readiness at home amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Yemeni military officials and tribal leaders, who also insisted on speaking anonymously to discuss the situation, said the UAE redeployed forces from the eastern province of Marib. Meanwhile, they said Emirati military reinforcements were sent to the southern provinces of Dhale and Shabwa. They said the UAE had also redeployed its forces and weapons to the Red Sea port town of Mocha.

The Iranian-allied rebels in Yemen, known as Houthis, said in May they would begin to redeploy from three key ports in Yemen, including Hodeida, which handles 70 percent of Yemen’s food imports and humanitarian aid. The long-delayed redeployment of Houthi forces there is seen as a key first step toward ending the civil war, which erupted in 2014 when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa.

Meanwhile, security concerns spiked in the UAE after four oil tankers were hit off its coast of Fujairah in May in an attack that the U.S. has blamed on Iran.

“We’re very, very protected when it comes to drones … Patriots, Thaad system. But you know again, I think mostly, we are also protected through what I would say is continuous diplomacy,” the Emirati official said before adding “our whole effort has been at de-escalation.”

The UAE supports U.S. sanctions on Iran, but has also stressed that war with Iran is not in the region’s interest.

Two other tankers were attacked in June in the Gulf of Oman, forcing crews on both ships to be rescued and evacuate. Iran denies any involvement.

Tensions rose further after Iran shot down an unmanned U.S. surveillance drone.

Over the same period, Houthis have upped their attacks on Saudi Arabia, using bomb-laden drones and missiles to target a Saudi airport, killing a civilian and wounding dozens others. The Houthis also claimed an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline.

Associated Press writer Ahmed al-Haj in Sanaa, Yemen, contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. </s> The United Arab Emirates has announced a “strategic redeployment” from the port city of Hodeidah in Yemen, as well as a more limited tactical retreat elsewhere in the country – marking a significant moment in Yemen’s four-year civil war.

UAE officials said the move, under discussion for as long as a year, was designed to support a United Nations-led peace process that began in Stockholm last December. It was the first official UAE confirmation of a withdrawal, which has been reported in recent weeks by witnesses and foreign officials.

The officials said the UAE would remain in the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in 2015 to try to restore the Yemeni government ousted from power by the Houthis, a rebel group backed by Iran.

Oversight would be passed to Emirati-trained local Yemeni forces and foreign mercenaries, and UAE forces remaining in Yemen would focus on counter-terrorism efforts against al-Qaida and Islamic State rather than the battle against the Houthis. The UAE would also continue to support a secessionist movement in southern Yemen.

Analysts have warned it is not yet clear whether local troops and Saudi coalition partners are up to the task of filling the vacuum, sparking fears that the current stalemate in much of the country could be upended.

The UAE drawdown also weakens Saudi Arabia’s military capabilities in Yemen, adding to pressure for Riyadh to proactively pursue a political rather than military solution to the war.

The withdrawal had been extensively discussed with Riyadh as well as the UN-recognised Yemen government based in Aden, the officials added.

The UAE may be braced for accusations that the withdrawal is an admission of defeat, but the officials insisted the redeployment was a considered move reflecting the diplomatic progress being made by the UN in the strategically important Hodeidah.

Hodeidah became a major focus of the war last year when the western-backed Saudi-led coalition tried to seize the port, which is the Houthis’ main supply line.

In December the UN brokered a complex ceasefire in the city in which both the Yemeni government and Houthi forces were supposed to withdraw, leaving a new security force to take over the port and the city.

Only parts of that withdrawal agreement have been implemented. The UAE said it was keen to see the peace process expanded towards a wider peace settlement with deadlines covering the whole country.

The officials denied that the move would create a dangerous vacuum around Hodeidah, arguing that there were as many as 19,000 Yemeni troops in theport city area if progress towards a settlement collapsed.

In 2018, by contrast, the UAE had argued that the military capture of Hodeidah would force the Houthis to the negotiating table.

The international community pressed the UAE and the Saudis to wait outside the city, warning that an assault could lead to a bloodbath and disruption at the port could tip the country into full-blown famine.

Emirati officials have also dismissed suggestions that the drawdown reflects a growing rift between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh: their military and political leaders have long differed on preferred strategy in both the bloody impasse in Yemen and dealing with the threat posed to Gulf interests from Tehran.

UAE officials refused to go into details of precise troop movements and said some of the withdrawals were tactical, and so could be reversed. Witnesses have said a large-scale drawdown of troops and heavy weaponry is under way in Marib province and the interim capital of Aden as well as Hodeidah.

Last week, Reuters reported it had been told by three diplomats that Abu Dhabi preferred to have its forces and equipment on hand should tension between the US and Iran escalate further after attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf and Tehran’s suspected downing of a US drone. Those tanker attacks have been ascribed to Iranian surrogates, but no final attribution has been made by the UAE. On Monday the UAE officials said the timing was not linked to those developments. </s> FILE – In this Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, Emirati soldiers stand guard out the rear gate of a Chinook military helicopter traveling from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. The United Arab Emirates has drawn down the number of its troops in Yemen, but has not withdrawn from the country and remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war there, a senior Emirati official confirmed Monday, July 8,2 019. The official declined to give figures on how many troops have been withdrawn or how many remain in Yemen, but said the UAE remains committed to the Saudi-led coalition there. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, File)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates has drawn down its troop levels in Yemen but remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels there.

A senior Emirati official confirmed Monday that UAE troop levels are down, describing it as a “strategic redeployment.” The official declined to disclose how many troops have left Yemen and how many remain.

In discussing the drawdown of troops in Yemen, the Emirati official also noted the “overall geostrategic picture” in reference to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf region. The UAE, which supports U.S. sanctions on Iran, has also called for a de-escalation.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss troop deployments for security reasons. </s> DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - The United Arab Emirates has drawn down its troop levels in Yemen but remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war with Iran-aligned rebels there.

A senior Emirati official confirmed Monday that UAE troop levels are down, describing it as a "strategic redeployment." The official declined to disclose how many troops have left Yemen and how many remain.

In discussing the drawdown of troops in Yemen, the Emirati official also noted the "overall geostrategic picture" in reference to escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran in the Persian Gulf region. The UAE, which supports U.S. sanctions on Iran, has also called for a de-escalation.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss troop deployments for security reasons.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, Emirati soldiers stand guard out the rear gate of a Chinook military helicopter traveling from Saudi Arabia to Yemen. The United Arab Emirates has drawn down the number of its troops in Yemen, but has not withdrawn from the country and remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war there, a senior Emirati official confirmed Monday, July 8,2 019. The official declined to give figures on how many troops have been withdrawn or how many remain in Yemen, but said the UAE remains committed to the Saudi-led coalition there. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2015, file photo, Yemeni Gen. Abd al-Rab Qassim al-Shadadi speaks to his troops at a United Arab Emirates military base near Saffer, Yemen. The United Arab Emirates has drawn down the number of its troops in Yemen, but has not withdrawn from the country and remains a key member of the Saudi-led coalition at war there, a senior Emirati official confirmed Monday, July 8, 2019. The official declined to give figures on how many troops have been withdrawn or how many remain in Yemen, but said the UAE remains committed to the Saudi-led coalition there. (AP Photo/Adam Schreck, File) </s> Yemen's Houthi rebels have called for the full withdrawal of a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after the latter said it had begun reducing its deployment in the war-torn country.

"We call on the aggressors to withdraw from Yemen, as the Republic of Yemen rejects aggression, siege and air embargo," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the head of the Houthi rebels' Supreme Revolutionary Committee, tweeted on Monday.

"Withdrawing from Yemen is the ideal decision that must be taken at this time," he added.

Yemen's latest conflict broke out in late 2014 when the Houthis, allied with forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, seized much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

The war escalated in March 2015 when the Saudi-UAE-led coalition launched a ferocious air campaign against the rebels in a bid to restore the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Since then, tens of thousands of civilians and combatants have been killed and as many as 85,000 children may have starved to death.

A senior UAE official said on Monday the country would reduce its troop presence in Yemen, moving from a "military-first" to a "peace-first" strategy.

"We do have troop levels that are down for reasons that are strategic in (the Red Sea port city of) Hodeida and reasons that are tactical" in other parts of the country, a senior UAE official, who requested anonymity, was quoted as saying by news agencies.

According to the unnamed UAE official, the Gulf state pulled out some of its forces from areas including the southern port of Aden and the western coast.

The UAE official emphasised his country's continued support for Saudi Arabia, saying discussions on troops' movements had been coordinated for more than a year.

"This is not really a last-minute decision. This is part of the process within the coalition that's been discussed extensively with our partners, the Saudis."

Gamal Gasim, a political science professor at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, told Al Jazeera the UAE's redeployment was contrary to Saudi Arabia's strategy of crushing the Iran-aligned rebels.

"The UAE more likely intends to split Yemen into two countries of South and North where it will have influence and dominance over the southern part. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is more interested in defeating the Houthis and ending Iranian influence," Gasim said.

Yemeni journalist and human rights activist Tawakkol Karman told al Jazeera that the UAE was pressured into pulling out of Yemen by Iran, and as a "cosmetic" move to improve its image.

"This [the withdrawal of UAE troops from Yemen] is a cosmetic withdrawal meant to improve the UAE's image ... [after] their failure in Yemen... [and following] a piece of advice from the UK.

"[Another] reason was a serious warning from Iran to the UAE. If they remain in Yemen, then their luxurious, glassy towers will be targeted by any of Iran's arms in the region," explained Karman.

Echoing similar sentiments, Saeed Thabit, a Qatar-based Yemeni political analyst, questioned the veracity of the UAE official's comments.

"The UAE announcement appears to be disingenuous and doesn't reflect a sincere desire to end the war in Yemen, partly because it was leaked in an anonymous fashion without an official announcement," Thabit said.

"The UAE troops still have a substantial presence in Yemen, and this development was made more to antagonise the Saudis who are facing more military pressure from the Houthis at their borders with Yemen."

The Houthis, who have faced persistent coalition bombing that has exacted a heavy civilian death toll - have stepped up missile and drone attacks across the Saudi border in recent weeks.

At least one person has been killed and 56 wounded in Saudi Arabia in three such Houthi attacks since June 12, according to Saudi authorities.

Saudi Arabia has repeatedly accused Iran of supplying sophisticated weapons to the Houthis, a charge Tehran denies.

The UAE announcement also comes amid a standoff between the United States and Iran, which spiked in June when Iranian forces shot down a US drone following a series of suspected tanker attacks Washington has blamed on Tehran over Iranian denials.

Diplomats have said the UAE prefers to have military forces and equipment on hand should tensions between the US and Iran further escalate in the Gulf.

The UAE official said: "Many people asked if this is also linked to the current rise of tensions with Iran. I would say fundamentally no ... But of course, we cannot be blind to the overall strategic picture." </s> Yemeni rebels on Tuesday called for the full withdrawal of the Arab coalition from the country. The statement came after the UAE, a key part of that coalition, said it had begun reducing its deployment.

“We call on the aggressors to withdraw from Yemen, as the Republic of Yemen rejects aggression, siege and air embargo,” Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the rebels’ Higher Revolutionary Committee, tweeted. “Withdrawing from Yemen is the ideal decision that must be taken at this time.”

An official from the UAE has reiterated its commitment to the Yemeni government and the Arab coalition, saying Abu Dhabi discussed redeployment with its Saudi partner “extensively,” AFP reported. </s> Alwaght- The United Nations says Yemen’s Ansarullah movement has agreed to unilaterally pull out its forces from three key ports over the next four days, a necessary step for the implementation of a ceasefire deal the warring sides reached in Sweden in December.

Lt. Gen. Michael Lollesgaard, who heads the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), a UN mission to monitor the deal, said in a statement on Friday that the movement would make an “initial unilateral redeployment” of its forces from Yemen’s three key ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Isa between May 11 and May 14, Press TV reported.

The resistance movement, which has been significantly helping the Yemeni army against a Saudi-led military coalition for the past four years, and the country’s former Saudi-backed government, led by ex-president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, signed a UN-brokered truce deal in Stockholm on December 13.

More than 70 percent of Yemen’s imports used to pass through the docks of Hudaydah, a lifeline for the war-ravaged country's crippled economy. However, since June last year, forces of the United Arab Emirates, a significant ally of Saudi Arabia in its war against Yemen, and Hadi’s militia have laid a tight siege to the city, which is under the control of Houthi fighters.

The redeployment of forces from the three port cities is a critical part of the ceasefire deal, aimed at averting a full-scale assault on Hudaydah, but has so far failed to materialize on the ground.

The statement said the redeployment must be followed by “the committed, transparent and sustained actions of the parties to fully deliver on their obligations.”

It also stressed that the redeployment of forces should allow the UN to take “a leading role in supporting the Red Sea Ports Corporation in managing the ports” and to increase UN checks on cargoes.

Following the UN statement, the ex-president's information minister said in a twitter post that the report on the Ansarullah's redeployment offer “is inaccurate and misleading.”

He claimed that the reported redeployment offer was “unacceptable” because a required joint monitoring and verification mechanism as stipulated in the December pact was not foreseen in the UN's Friday arrangement.

No response has been released yet either from the RCC or the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which has repeatedly complained about Saudi Arabia’s repeated violation of the ceasefire in Hudaydah.

Leading a coalition of its allies, Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall Hadi, who had resigned amid popular discontent and fled to Riyadh, and to crush the Ansarullah.

The imposed war initially consisted of an aerial campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen. Furthermore, armed militia forces loyal to Hadi, in line with invaders, launch frequent attacks against Yemeni people in regions held by Ansarullah.

The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.

A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance.
The United Arab Emirates announces a partial withdrawal of its forces from Yemen as part of a "strategic redeployment".