Saudi Arabia before the Security Council: We will not allow Yemen to be turned into a platform to threaten our security
- We reserve the right to take all necessary measures to deter the terrorist attacks by the Houthi militia.
- Houthi militia attacks on airports and civilian facilities threaten regional security, as well as international navigation and trade.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has affirmed its right to take all necessary measures to defend its territory and sovereignty, and to protect its citizens and residents, in response to the attacks launched by the terrorist Houthi militia against its territory and civilian and vital infrastructure. The Kingdom warned that the continued Houthi escalation threatens regional and international security, as well as global navigation and trade.
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This statement was made in the Kingdom’s address delivered by its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr. Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Wasim, before the UN Security Council during a session held today to discuss the situation in Yemen, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Al-Wasim stated that the continuous escalation by the terrorist Houthi militia, including targeting civilians and civilian objects and vital infrastructure, alongside threats to navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, poses a danger whose repercussions extend beyond Yemen and the region to affect international peace and security, global trade movements, and international supply chains.
He clarified that the Kingdom was subjected to two attacks yesterday by the terrorist Houthi militia targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The attacks damaged airport facilities and a Saudi Airlines aircraft, resulting in the martyrdom of three Saudi citizens and injuring several citizens and residents of various nationalities, in addition to causing material damage.
He noted that the past weeks have witnessed a serious escalation in Houthi attacks on Saudi territory, including an attempt to target Makkah on September 15, for the second time following a previous attempt on July 27, 2017. This was followed by an attack on the Taiba electricity distribution station in Madinah on September 29, an act he described as an affront to the sentiments of Muslims worldwide.
He added that Houthi attacks targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran during September resulted in injuries to 73 civilians, including women and children. Other attacks struck the capital Riyadh and other Saudi cities using ballistic missiles and drones directed at populated areas and civilian and vital infrastructure.
He pointed out 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. Attacks also targeted facilities at Jazan and Najran airports.
Al-Wasim emphasized that these attacks, which have claimed the lives of civilians from sister nations and endangered the safety of travelers and workers of various nationalities, constitute not only a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and security but also a direct threat to civilian safety and civil aviation security.
Regarding maritime navigation, he warned against the continued threat by the terrorist Houthi militia to international navigation and trade in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the targeting of ships and economic facilities, which endangers regional security and stability, as well as global energy supply integrity.
He stressed that the Kingdom will not allow Yemen to be turned into a platform for threatening its security or freedom of maritime navigation, affirming that it is unacceptable for a terrorist militia to impose its will on Yemen and the region by force of arms.
He noted that the continued receipt of external military and technical support by 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 the state framework, and threats to security and stability in Yemen and the region.
He called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities in implementing relevant Security Council resolutions, foremost among them Resolution 2216 of 2015 concerning Yemen, and Resolution 2722 of 2024 regarding 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 political matters, Al-Wasail emphasized that the Kingdom has placed the peace option at the forefront of its priorities, and has made significant efforts since 2011, in cooperation with fraternal and friendly countries and the UN Envoy, to support the peace process in Yemen.
He clarified that the latest of these efforts is represented by the roadmap submitted by the Kingdom to the UN Envoy, which was approved by the Yemeni government but rejected by the terrorist Houthi militia.
He accused the Houthi militia of continuing military escalation, obstructing efforts to reach a comprehensive political settlement, shirking its commitments, and dragging 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 fraternal Yemeni people in ending the coup and restoring the state and its institutions from the hands of the terrorist Houthi coup militia, stressing that continued military escalation will only prolong the Yemeni crisis, deepen the suffering of the Yemeni people, and undermine regional and international efforts to achieve peace.
On the economic and humanitarian front, Al-Wasail pointed to the continued Saudi support for Yemen through the provision of humanitarian, developmental, and economic aid, which contributes to alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people and enhancing economic and financial stability.
He stated that the Kingdom recently provided new support to the Central Bank of Yemen to strengthen economic, financial, and monetary stability and improve living conditions, alongside a new tranche of budget support grant to the Yemeni government exceeding SAR 224 million, delivered on October 4 through the Saudi Program for Development and Reconstruction in Yemen.
He explained that this tranche aims to reduce the budget deficit, ensure regular government financial flows, enhance purchasing power, and activate commercial markets.
He indicated that the total economic and developmental support provided by the Kingdom to Yemen during the period from 2012 to 2026 exceeded $12.6 billion, while total humanitarian support surpassed $4.5 billion.
Al-Wasail renewed the Kingdom’s support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, aimed at reaching a comprehensive political settlement led by Yemenis, which preserves Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, and meets the aspirations of the fraternal Yemeni people for security, stability, and development.
In conclusion of his speech, he called on the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities in safeguarding international peace and security, and to halt Houthi attacks that threaten the security of the Kingdom and the region, as well as international navigation safety, emphasizing that the Kingdom’s goal remains achieving security and stability, ending the suffering of the fraternal Yemeni people, and supporting every serious effort leading to a comprehensive and sustainable political solution.
