UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Saudi Arabia on Sept. 29 and met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman. The visit, prompted by an invitation from Prince Khalid, came as Iran-backed Houthis intensified missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia. It marked the first visit by a senior UAE official since a deep rift emerged between the countries last year. The UAE and Saudi Arabia were previously key partners in the war against the Houthis, but disagreements over regional policy and oil policy worsened after a UAE-backed southern Yemeni separatist group advanced near Saudi territory in December. Saudi Arabia condemned the UAE’s involvement and struck a UAE-linked weapons shipment at Yemen’s port of Mukalla. The UAE later said it had withdrawn all forces from Yemen, although tensions remained.