Gulf alliances start to shift, from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh to Muscat

Crown princes Mohammed Bin Salman and Mohammed Bin Zayed were once close partners but appear now to be competing as much as co-operating. In contrast, Qatar and Oman have been moving closer to a Saudi leadership keen to develop a better international reputation. This feeds into Muscat’s approach to Yemen, where Sultan Haitham has sought to guard Omani security via direct talks with the Houthis.