UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia, Calls for 'Immediate Cessation' of Escalation

The UN Security Council strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, which have caused civilian casualties, including among women and children, and inflicted damage on energy infrastructure.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Council members reaffirmed their condemnation of these attacks and of threats to commercial navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety of commercial vessels and their crews.

Security Council members also stressed the importance of acting in accordance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of respecting navigational rights and freedoms.

The Council members called on the Houthis to immediately halt their military escalation and attacks affecting civilians and civilian objects, stressing the need for full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015), which prohibits the supply of arms to the Houthis and imposes sanctions on the group’s leaders, as well as subsequent resolutions.

The Council members referred to their statement of 7 August, in which they condemned Houthi missile attacks against Saudi Arabia and attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Council members expressed their solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks affecting civilians and civilian objects within its territory, and affirmed its inherent right to self-defense in accordance with international law.