Saudi crown prince, UAE vice president meet in Riyadh

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh on Tuesday, Saudi official media reported.

The meeting comes as the kingdom reels from weeks of attacks by Yemen's Houthis on its tankers, oil facilities, airports and even its capital, after the group took control of the Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

Riyadh has for weeks been reaching out to international allies for help against the Houthis.

The crown prince and the vice president met to "review brotherly bilateral relations and regional developments", the Saudi Press Agency said, adding the sit-down was also attended by Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman.

Last December, Riyadh accused Abu Dhabi of threatening its national security by supporting southern Yemeni separatists who orchestrated a brief offensive in government-held areas.

But in July, top officials and ministers from Saudi Arabia and the UAE began posting messages on social media about friendship and unity, signaling a rapprochement.

That same month, Yemen's civil war roared back to life when the Houthis launched a new campaign against Saudi-backed government forces, taking over a swath of territory and launching attacks on Saudi soil.

The Iran-backed group has also declared a maritime blockade on Saudi ships in the Red Sea.

Riyadh has been carrying out strikes on the Houthis, while for weeks reaching out to international allies for help.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been at odds on foreign policy for some time, from Yemen and Sudan to the Horn of Africa, where they have supported rival forces.