Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sharply escalated after a Yemeni delegation of UAE-backed southern separatists reportedly disappeared in Riyadh. Members of the Southern Transitional Council said they lost contact with dozens of officials shortly after their arrival in the Saudi capital for peace talks, alleging the group vanished after being placed on a bus by Saudi authorities. Confusion deepened after a social media post from one delegate claimed a positive arrival, even as families reported no contact. Reports that STC leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi fled to Abu Dhabi have fueled claims of an abduction plot, widening the rift in the Gulf.