القبائل ذات الامتداد السعودي–اليمني توظيفها سياسيًا من الإمارات ضد المملكة

The tribes whose geographical reach extends across Saudi Arabia and Yemen constitute one of the most sensitive issues in the regional security equation, not because of their tribal nature per se, but because of attempts to exploit this social continuity in political and security conflicts that transcend national borders. Historically and geographically, the Saudi-Yemeni border has not been a rigid social barrier, resulting in several major tribes being distributed between the two countries while maintaining ties of kinship, marriage, and shared interests.

Among the most prominent of these tribes are the Yam, Hashid, Bakil (with their various branches), Al Murrah, Khawlan, and Al Ajman, in addition to other smaller tribes that are nonetheless present in the border region. These tribes live today within the framework of the modern Saudi state and are subject to its systems and laws, but their social reach within Yemen has made them, during periods of instability, a focus of regional attention and attempts at political polarization.

In the Yemeni context, with the disintegration of the state and the weakening of institutions since 2011, followed by the outbreak of war, tribal structures have become a tool of influence used by various actors. Some political analyses suggest that the UAE, as part of its strategy in Yemen, has sought to build local networks of influence that extend beyond armed factions in the south to include tribal sheikhs and social figures in various regions, including tribes bordering Saudi Arabia.

According to these analyses, Emirati support—if it exists—is not presented as direct tribal support within Saudi Arabia, but rather as support for figures or groups within Yemen belonging to tribes with social ties within the Kingdom. This approach is seen as an indirect means of influence, relying on social and economic connections instead of overt political confrontation.

Tribes like Yam and Khawlan, for example, have a significant human and social presence on both sides of the border, particularly in Najran, Saada, and Al-Jawf. Amid the Yemeni conflict, these areas have become arenas of competing influence between the Houthis, the legitimate government, and various regional powers. Some reports and analyses suggest attempts to co-opt tribal sheikhs or leaders through money, influence, or protection, as part of the struggle for local control within Yemen.

The Al Murrah tribe is also mentioned in a different context, not as an armed group, but as a tribe with a wide geographical reach and extensive social ties in the Gulf and Yemen. According to political analyses, such reach is used to build networks of soft power based on relationships, mediation, and shared interests, rather than direct military action.

From a Saudi perspective, the danger lies in this type of indirect exploitation of the tribe, because it undermines one of the most important foundations of the modern state: confining political and security loyalties to the state, not to transnational social ties. The Kingdom has worked for decades to transform the tribe from an independent political actor into a social component within the state, and any attempt to repoliticize the tribe, even from outside its borders, is considered a threat to national security.

Furthermore, supporting local forces in Yemen along tribal lines, rather than supporting Yemeni state institutions, perpetuates chaos and creates transnational networks of interests that are difficult to control. This explains Saudi Arabia’s concern about policies that weaken the Yemeni state, as they open the door for tribes to be used as instruments of regional influence, rather than as part of a stable social fabric.

It is important to emphasize that the Saudi tribes themselves, including those with Yemeni roots, are not separatist movements or foreign proxies; they are an integral part of the Saudi state. However, the problem does not lie with the tribe as a social entity, but rather with attempts to exploit its geographical reach in regional conflicts, whether through money, influence, or indirect support within Yemeni territory.

Discussions about tribes with Saudi-Yemeni ties must be understood within a precise security and political framework. The danger lies not in the tribe itself, but in its politicization and redeployment outside the state’s control. Any regional role contributing to this, whether from the UAE or elsewhere, is viewed by Saudi Arabia as a direct threat to the foundations of stability, not only within Yemen but also along the Kingdom’s southern border.