UAE vice president visits Saudi Arabia in first visit since rift

UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, meeting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. The visit is the first by a senior UAE official since a deep rift emerged between the two Gulf powers last year. The discussions covered topics of mutual interest and ways to enhance cooperation and coordination, according to the Saudi defense ministry. The visit comes as Saudi Arabia faces increasing pressure from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have launched weeks of missile and drone attacks on the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has been seeking international support against the Houthis, though it is unclear if that request extends to the UAE. The UAE was once Saudi Arabia's main regional partner in the war against the Houthis. The rift between the two countries became public in December when a UAE-backed southern Yemeni separatist advance brought it close to Saudi borders. Saudi Arabia condemned the UAE's involvement and carried out an airstrike on a UAE-linked weapons shipment at the port of Mukalla in Yemen. The UAE subsequently announced a withdrawal of its forces from Yemen, but tensions have persisted. Yemen has been in a 12-year civil war since the Houthis seized Sanaa.