Gulf Foreign Ministers' Council Strongly Condemns Terrorist Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

Manama, 18 October (KUNA) -- The final statement of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Ministerial Council at its 168th session strongly condemned the ongoing attacks carried out by the Houthi terrorist militia against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including targeting the Two Holy Mosques and their surrounding areas, attacking civilian airports, and striking vital facilities, which resulted in civilian casualties and injuries in a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law.

The final statement of the meeting, held under the chairmanship of Bahraini Foreign Minister Dr. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani and attended by the foreign ministers of the GCC member states, including Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Jaraah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and with the participation of GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Bedawi, expressed sincere condolences to the victims’ families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

The Council affirmed the full solidarity of the GCC member states with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, standing as one united front alongside it and supporting all measures it takes to safeguard its sovereignty, protect its security, and defend its interests. It emphasized that the security of the GCC member states is indivisible, and that any attack on any member state constitutes a direct attack on all GCC states in accordance with the Joint Defense Agreement.

The Council stressed the inherent right of the GCC member states to defend themselves individually and collectively in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, and to take all necessary measures to protect their citizens and residents, as well as to preserve their sovereignty, security, stability, and interests.

The Ministerial Council called for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions concerning Yemen and the Houthi rebellion, including Resolution 2216 (2015), adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, and Resolution 2722 (2024) regarding attacks on ships in the Red Sea. It urged the United Nations and the international community to ensure strict enforcement of the arms embargo on the Houthi militia as stipulated in those resolutions.

The statement called on the Security Council and its permanent members to uphold their responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security, enforce its resolutions, and treat freedom of maritime and air navigation as a shared international interest that allows for no selectivity.

The Ministerial Council called for designating the Houthi militia as a terrorist organization and treating it in line with how the international community deals with terrorist groups that threaten security, peace, development, and prosperity. It also called for halting all support that enables the militia to possess missiles and drones.

The Council welcomed the Presidential Statement adopted by the UN Security Council by consensus on 15 October 2026, which condemned the continuous and escalating Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including strikes on Aramco facilities, and affirmed the Kingdom’s right to self-defense under international law. It also condemned attacks and threats against commercial navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and stressed the full implementation of the arms embargo imposed under Resolution 2216 (2015).

It appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain, as a member of the Security Council, in this regard, emphasizing the necessity of full implementation of what was contained in the statement.

The statement noted that the GCC member states reaffirmed their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Yemen, and backed efforts to reach a political solution to the Yemeni crisis through dialogue and understanding, in accordance with the three reference points: the outcomes of the Comprehensive National Dialogue in Yemen, the Gulf Initiative, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, in a manner that contributes to realizing the Yemeni people’s aspirations for peace, security, and stability.

The Council of Ministers condemned the continued Iranian attacks using missiles and drones against the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, either directly or through its proxies in the region. These attacks targeted civilian facilities, service sites, residential areas, and diplomatic missions, resulting in significant material damage and posing a threat to the security and safety of citizens and residents. The Council held Iran fully responsible for these attacks and their repercussions, firmly rejecting all claims put forward by Iran to justify them. It called for the immediate and unconditional cessation of all attacks, provocations, and threats, and for full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026).

The Council urged the UN Security Council and the international community to fulfill their responsibilities and take necessary measures to ensure the full implementation of the resolution, hold those responsible for these attacks accountable, and compel Iran to fully compensate for all resulting damages, in accordance with UN Human Rights Council Resolution 61/1 (2026). The Council emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Red Sea are vital waterways whose importance extends beyond the region’s countries, representing key arteries of the global economy. Ensuring their security, safe navigation, and freedom of passage is a shared international interest and responsibility.

The Council stressed that closing these waterways, obstructing navigation, targeting commercial vessels and their crews, laying mines, or imposing illegal fees or restrictions on transit constitutes a threat to international peace and security and exposes global energy, food, pharmaceutical supplies, and trade to serious risks. It rejected any attempt to subject the right of innocent passage to prior authorization or imposed routes, in violation of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and customary international law. It called on the International Maritime Organization to continue fulfilling its responsibilities in safeguarding maritime safety and protecting seafarers.

The Council reaffirmed the necessity of restoring the security and freedom of navigation, and returning conditions in the Strait of Hormuz to their state before February 28, 2026, in accordance with the rules and principles of international law, the 1982 UNCLOS, and the 1974 Agreement on Maritime Delimitation and Continental Shelf signed between the Sultanate of Oman and Iran on July 25, 1974. It also stressed respect for the sovereignty of coastal states and the rights of concerned states.

The Council of Ministers called for a return to dialogue and diplomacy to overcome the current crisis and preserve the region’s security, stability, and the well-being of its peoples. It expressed support for mediation efforts and diplomatic initiatives undertaken by regional, brotherly, and friendly countries to achieve a political solution that prevents the region from sliding into further tension and undermines security and stability, which would not serve the interests of the region or the world.

The Council emphasized that any agreements must address all outstanding issues, including Iran’s nuclear file, its ballistic missile program, drone activities, and support for proxies, based on respect for sovereignty, good neighborliness, non-interference in internal affairs, and with the participation of GCC countries in any negotiations or arrangements affecting their security and interests. (End) K.N.A./H.S.S.