Wide Gulf and Arab solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of Houthi aggression

Saudi Arabia affirmed its legitimate right to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, safeguard its national assets, and protect the security of its citizens and residents on its territory, following Houthi attacks that targeted civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, resulting in the injury of 73 civilians, including women and children.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned, in the strongest terms, the Houthi militia’s attacks, as well as their continued harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea and threats to international maritime navigation freedom.

Saudi Arabia reiterated its firm rejection of what it described as the “hostile approach and criminal behavior” pursued by the Houthi militias in threatening the security and stability of Yemen and its Arab and Islamic surroundings, as well as their persistent rejection of peace efforts. It emphasized that it “will not tolerate any aggression targeting its territory and assets,” affirming that the measures it takes to defend its sovereignty and security are in accordance with international law.

Riyadh warned against the dangers of the Houthis continuing to target civilians and civilian infrastructure, calling for an immediate halt to all forms of escalation and ongoing threats to maritime security. It urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions, notably Resolutions 2216 (2015) and 2722 (2024).

Gulf and Arab condemnations of the Houthi attacks followed, reaffirming full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and rejecting the targeting of civilians, civilian infrastructure, and economic assets, while supporting the Kingdom in all measures taken to protect its security, sovereignty, and national assets.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi condemned the Houthi attacks, and their deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian and economic infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia, in the strongest and harshest terms. He described these actions as embodying an “extreme criminal approach” that threatens the region’s security and stability, representing a violation of international laws and norms.

Kuwait also strongly condemned the Houthi attacks that targeted civilian and economic sites in several Saudi cities, injuring dozens of civilians, including women and children. Kuwait characterized these attacks as a “blatant violation” of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the security and safety of its citizens and residents, as well as a breach of international law and international humanitarian law.

Bahrain strongly condemned the renewed Houthi attacks targeting civilian, economic, and vital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in civilian injuries, including women and children. It stated that these attacks, along with the continued targeting of commercial ships and threats to navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, constitute a “serious escalation” and a violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and the UN Charter.

In Doha, Qatar condemned the Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, which injured civilians, including women and children, as well as the continued targeting of commercial ships in the Red Sea and threats to the security, safety, and freedom of international maritime navigation, in the strongest terms.

Egypt, for its part, condemned in the strongest terms the missile and drone attacks targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, which injured dozens of civilians, including women and children. It described the attacks as a “serious escalation” and a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, posing a threat to the security and safety of its people.

Jordan also condemned the Houthi targeting of civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, alongside the continued attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. It labeled these actions as a “flagrant violation” of Saudi sovereignty and a threat to its security, stability, and territorial integrity, as well as a breach of international law and the UN Charter, and a threat to the security and safety of maritime navigation.

A similar condemnation came from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), whose Secretary-General, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, condemned in the strongest terms the series of Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, which resulted in the injury of 73 civilians, including women and children.