Saudi Cabinet Strongly Condemns Claims by the Terrorist Houthi Militia

His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, chaired the Council of Ministers meeting held in Jeddah.

The Council reviewed the content of a telephone call received by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The call involved an appreciation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s supportive stance toward Lebanon and its efforts to achieve stability and peace in the region.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Council followed up on recent developments in the regional landscape and their repercussions on international peace and security. In this context, it strongly condemned the baseless claims and false accusations made by the terrorist Houthi militia, which lack any factual basis. The Council noted the militia’s involvement in regional conflicts to advance its sinister agenda and objectives, which has contributed to deepening the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people and threatening regional security and stability. It reaffirmed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s continued support for the brotherly Yemeni people and its legitimate government, as well as its commitment to taking resolute measures to protect its security and shipping in accordance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Council also reiterated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s solidarity and full support for the State of Kuwait, the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding the measures they are taking in response to the blatant Iranian aggression, which violates international law and principles of good neighborliness. It emphasized the importance of an immediate halt to all forms of military escalation to preserve the stability of the region’s countries and peoples.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s strongest condemnation of the allegations made by the so-called military spokesperson for the terrorist Houthi militia, accusing the Kingdom of blockading the brotherly Yemeni people and banning maritime navigation. In a statement conveyed by SPA, the Ministry stated: “The Kingdom affirms that it has worked over the past years with the legitimate Yemeni government to alleviate the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, including by continuing development projects, supporting the Yemeni government’s budget, and providing petroleum derivatives to operate power stations.”

The Ministry added that the militia has dragged Yemen into regional conflicts and targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea, causing increased suffering for the Yemeni people, preventing travel, and exacerbating economic problems, particularly in areas controlled by the Houthi militia.

On his part, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Mohamed Al Budaiwi expressed his strongest condemnation and rejection of the statements issued by the so-called military spokesperson for the terrorist Houthi militia, which contained baseless allegations and unfounded accusations against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He described these as a desperate and transparent attempt to distort facts and evade responsibility for the practices of the group, which have contributed to deepening the suffering of the Yemeni people and threatening the security and stability of the region.

Al Budaiwi stressed that these irresponsible statements would not change the established facts, foremost among which are the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s sincere efforts to support the Yemeni people, contribute to achieving security and stability, advance the political process, and provide humanitarian and relief aid, driven by its responsibility toward Yemen and its people.

The Secretary-General also emphasized that the security of maritime navigation and freedom of international trade constitute a fundamental pillar of regional and international security and stability, and that any attempts to target international waterways constitute a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and relevant Security Council resolutions. He called on the international community to take a firm stance against these baseless Houthi claims and threats and to work on implementing Security Council resolutions to ensure the protection of maritime navigation and prevent any practices that endanger the security of international sea lanes.

He reiterated the GCC’s full support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its backing of all measures taken to protect its security, sovereignty, and interests.

The State of Qatar also expressed its strong condemnation and rejection of the statements by the Houthi militia’s military spokesperson regarding accusations of blockading the Yemeni people and banning maritime navigation. In a statement issued yesterday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2722 concerning the rights and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. It affirmed that freedom of navigation in international waterways is a fundamental principle of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Ministry reiterated Qatar’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures taken to preserve its sovereignty and security, emphasizing that the security of the Kingdom is an integral part of the security of the State of Qatar and the GCC countries.

For its part, the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s strong condemnation and rejection of the terrorist threats issued by the Iran-backed Houthi militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which contained baseless claims, incitement, and irresponsible escalation. These actions undermine regional security and stability, pose a serious threat to maritime navigation, international trade, and innocent civilians, and constitute a blatant violation of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and relevant Security Council resolutions.

The Ministry reaffirmed Bahrain’s firm position of full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, stating that its security is an integral part of Bahrain’s security, and expressed full support for the legitimate measures taken to preserve its sovereignty, security, stability, and territorial integrity. It stressed the necessity of international efforts to protect the security of maritime navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and other vital waterways, thereby safeguarding energy supply security and global trade movements.

Jordan, for its part, condemned yesterday the statements issued by the so-called military spokesperson, which contained baseless accusations against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia regarding the blockading of the Yemeni people and threats targeting freedom of navigation. The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom’s strong rejection and condemnation of these statements, reaffirming Jordan’s absolute solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all steps taken to protect its sovereignty, security, and the safety of its citizens and residents on its territory.