Foreign Patronage Fuels Interconnected Conflicts Across Red Sea Region

Military patronage and competition over strategic ports have linked conflicts in Sudan, Yemen, and Somalia into a shared war economy. In Sudan, the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has intensified through foreign intervention. While Saudi Arabia and Egypt support the Sudanese army, the United Arab Emirates is accused by Amnesty International of re-exporting weapons to the RSF, whose growth was historically aided by deployments to Yemen in 2015.

Regional instability extends to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. Ansarallah launched attacks on Saudi refineries and airports on October 29, 2026, which Saudi forces intercepted. Meanwhile, Somalia cancelled agreements with the United Arab Emirates, with officials accusing Abu Dhabi of undermining Somali sovereignty over its ports.

These overlapping conflicts have triggered severe humanitarian consequences. Approximately 19.5 million people in Sudan face acute hunger, while maritime disruptions in the region have increased the cost of food and fertilizer across Africa. Efforts to stabilize the region remain stalled, as Iran reported that neither Saudi Arabia nor Ansarallah responded to Tehran's mediation offers.