Saudi Arabia condemns at UN Security Council terrorist attacks by Houthi militia on its territory
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has condemned the attacks launched by the Houthi terrorist militia against its territory, which targeted civilians, civilian objects, and vital facilities. It reaffirmed its inherent right to defend its territory, resources, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents, and to take all necessary measures to protect its security and deter attacks, in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.
This statement was made in a speech delivered by the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Jasser, before the UN Security Council during its session on the situation in Yemen.
Al-Jasser emphasized that the continuous escalation by the Houthi terrorist militia, including attacks on civilians and threats to navigation security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, constitutes a threat that extends beyond Yemen and the region, impacting international peace and security, global trade, and international supply chains.
He stated, “The Security Council session is held under delicate circumstances and significant developments that require addressing their risks and threats with the highest degree of responsibility.” He noted that the rapid developments in Yemen and the continuous escalation by the Houthi militia pose growing challenges to regional and international security, amid ongoing attacks on civilians and threats to maritime navigation, trade, and global supply chains.
He clarified that the Houthi terrorist militia continues its hostile and terrorist practices against the Yemeni people and neighboring and regional countries, including attacks on civilians, civilian objects, and vital facilities in the Kingdom, as well as practices against the brotherly Yemeni people, such as imposing internal blockades, forced displacement, starvation, terrorizing women, and recruiting children.
Al-Jasser stressed that the Houthi militia’s continued pursuit of military escalation rather than peace will only prolong the Yemeni crisis, deepen the suffering of the Yemeni people, and undermine regional and international efforts to achieve a comprehensive political solution.
He drew attention to the aggressive escalation by the Houthi terrorist militia on Thursday, which involved two attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in the capital Riyadh, damaging airport facilities and a Saudi Airlines aircraft. The attacks resulted in the martyrdom of three Saudi citizens and injured several citizens and residents of various nationalities, along with material damage. He noted that the past weeks witnessed a serious escalation in Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, including an attempt on September 15 to target Mecca, which was the second such attempt following a previous one on July 27, 2017.
He pointed out that on September 29, the militia targeted the Taiba electricity distribution station in Medina, an attack that constitutes a provocation to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
The Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations noted that Houthi attacks on the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran during September resulted in 73 civilian casualties, including women and children. The attacks also targeted the capital Riyadh and other cities in the Kingdom, involving the launch of ballistic missiles and drones toward populated areas and civilian and vital facilities.
He further noted that Abha and King Khalid International airports were attacked on October 6 and 7, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to 36 others of various nationalities, along with material damage. The attacks also affected facilities at Jazan and Najran airports, emphasizing that these
The attacks, which have claimed the lives of civilians from brotherly nations and endangered the safety of travelers and workers of various nationalities, represent not only a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and security but also constitute a direct threat to the safety of civilians and civil aviation.
Regarding maritime navigation security, Al-Wasail stated: “The Houthi terrorist militia continues to threaten maritime navigation and international trade in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, targeting ships and economic facilities, thereby endangering the security and stability of the region and the integrity of global energy supplies.”
He emphasized that the Kingdom will not allow Yemen to be turned into a platform for threatening its security or freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, affirming that it is unacceptable for a terrorist militia to impose its will on Yemen and the region by force of arms.
He also pointed out that the continued provision of external military and technical support to the Houthi militia, along with the transfer of knowledge and expertise to it and the development of its military capabilities, have contributed to the persistence of chaos, the proliferation of weapons outside state control, and threats to security and stability in Yemen and the region.
He called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2216 (2015) concerning Yemen, and Resolution 2722 (2024) concerning freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
He reaffirmed the Kingdom’s inherent right to defend its territory, resources, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents, and to take all necessary measures to protect its security and deter attacks targeting civilians, civilian objects, and economic facilities, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
On the political front, Al-Wasail affirmed that the Kingdom has placed the peace option at the forefront of its priorities, making significant efforts in cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen, and presenting concrete initiatives to preserve the peace process in Yemen since 2011.
He noted that the latest of these efforts was the roadmap submitted by the Kingdom to the UN envoy, which was accepted by the Yemeni government but rejected by the Houthi terrorist militia.
He added that the Houthi militia has chosen military escalation each time, worked to disrupt efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive political solution, shirked its commitments, and dragged the Yemeni people into conflicts that do not serve their interests, while threatening the security and stability of the region. He affirmed the Kingdom’s full support for the brotherly Yemeni people in ending the coup and restoring the state and its institutions from the Houthi rebel terrorist militia.
On the economic and humanitarian front, Al-Wasail stated: “The Kingdom has been and remains one of the largest supporters of Yemen, through providing substantial humanitarian, developmental, and economic assistance to the brotherly Yemeni people, which contributes to alleviating their suffering and enhancing economic and financial stability.” He noted that the Kingdom recently provided new support to the Yemeni Central Bank, aimed at strengthening economic, financial, and monetary stability and improving citizens’ living conditions.
He clarified that on October 4, through the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen, the Kingdom provided a new tranche of budget support grants to the Yemeni government exceeding SAR 224 million, which helps reduce the budget deficit, ensure regular government financial flows, enhance purchasing power, and activate commercial markets.
He reported that the total economic and developmental support provided by the Kingdom to Yemen from 2012 to 2026 exceeded USD 12.6 billion, while the total humanitarian support provided by the Kingdom to Yemen
4.5 billion US dollars. Al-Wasail reiterated the Kingdom’s support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, aimed at reaching a comprehensive, Yemen-led political settlement that preserves Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and meets the aspirations of the brotherly Yemeni people for security, stability, and development. In conclusion of his speech, the Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in safeguarding international peace and security, and to halt Houthi aggression that threatens the security of the Kingdom and the region, as well as the safety of international navigation. Al-Wasail emphasized that the Kingdom’s objective remains achieving security and stability, ending the suffering of the brotherly Yemeni people, and supporting every serious effort that leads to a comprehensive and sustainable political solution, thereby preserving Yemen’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.
