Saudi Arabia to UN Security Council: Protecting maritime passages and navigation is an international responsibility

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirmed that the protection of maritime corridors and freedom of navigation is a shared international responsibility requiring adherence to international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. It warned of the threats posed by the Houthi terrorist militia to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and their repercussions on international trade and global supply chains.

This statement was made in the Kingdom’s address during a Security Council session on the Houthi militia’s threats to navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, delivered by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Wasil, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, on the evening of the day before yesterday.

Al-Wasil condemned the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom and the targeting of commercial vessels and maritime corridors, affirming the Kingdom’s right to protect its national security.

He noted the Kingdom’s launch of a multinational defensive naval coalition aimed at enhancing maritime security and protecting freedom of navigation, amid threats facing vital maritime corridors in the region.

The Permanent Representative reiterated the Kingdom’s support for de-escalation and reaching a comprehensive and sustainable political solution to the Yemeni crisis, while reaffirming the Kingdom’s stance in support of Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

He stressed the importance of the international community assuming its responsibilities regarding the security of maritime corridors, contributing to the protection of international trade flows and supply chains, and preserving regional and international security and stability.

For his part, Khalid Khiari, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific, warned of the implications of the escalating fighting in Yemen for the security of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, emphasizing the need to de-escalate tensions and ensure freedom of navigation. He made these remarks before an emergency Security Council session convened to discuss developments in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

In a briefing delivered before the Council on the evening of the day before yesterday, Khiari stated that the situation in and around the strait has become more volatile in recent days, with escalating fighting on Yemen’s western coast and growing concerns about its impact on civilians, humanitarian operations, and vital maritime corridors.

He explained that the Houthis have continued their advance toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, amid reports indicating their control over several islands in the southern Red Sea. At the same time, he noted that commercial shipping traffic through the Red Sea has not been affected so far, according to maritime tracking platforms.

He added that the Yemeni government launched a counteroffensive following the Houthi advances during the past week. Local clashes were reported in Marib, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Al-Bayda, and Sa’ada, while counteroperations extended to include intensive airstrikes in Taiz.

On the humanitarian front, the UN official warned of the worsening suffering of civilians, noting that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that approximately 125,000 people have been displaced across Yemen since the beginning of the current month.

He stated that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights documented eight fatalities during the same period, half of whom were women and children, along with 32 injuries. He called for the protection of civilians, respect for international humanitarian law, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid access.

Khiari also noted that the escalation has not been limited to Yemen, pointing to Houthi missile and drone attacks targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait, and Taif in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on September 14 of this month, which resulted in 13 injuries and damage to seven residential units.

He also highlighted the targeting of the East-West pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by several drones, reportedly launched from inside Iraq, resulting in injuries, material damage, and the closure of the pipeline for repair work.

He mentioned that the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it had refrained from taking retaliatory escalatory measures at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, who ordered an urgent investigation and reaffirmed that Iraqi territory and airspace “will not be used as a platform for launching attacks against any country.”

For his part, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, affirmed his country’s full and steadfast support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s right to defend its territory and take all necessary measures to protect its security, stability, and the safety of its citizens.

This was stated in an address delivered by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmed before the UN Security Council, in which he reiterated Islamabad’s position in support of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity, and affirmed its right to take whatever measures are necessary to defend its territory and protect its citizens from threats and attacks.

Asim Iftikhar warned of the dangers of continued escalation, stressing that the Houthi militia’s attacks pose not only a threat to the Kingdom’s security but also a direct and serious threat to the security and stability of the entire region and to the safety of international maritime navigation routes.