Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry has welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s condemnation of Houthi attacks against the Kingdom, including strikes on civilian facilities, airports and energy infrastructure, as well as threats to maritime navigation in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
“We emphasise the importance of the Security Council’s call for cooperation to prevent the Houthis from acquiring weapons,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X on Friday.
The ministry also welcomed the council’s solidarity in addressing attacks targeting civilians.
On Thursday, Security Council members condemned what they described as escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in the strongest terms and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s inherent right to self-defence.
The council’s presidential statement specifically highlighted deadly strikes targeting Riyadh’s main airport earlier this month.
Members condemned the attacks on King Khalid International Airport on October 10 and 11, which reportedly killed 14 people and injured more than 300.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said on Thursday that the Iran-backed Houthis had launched 20 attacks against King Khalid International Airport since October 1.
The council also cited multiple strikes targeting other airports and Saudi Aramco facilities across the Kingdom. These attacks, it said, had affected civilian aviation and energy infrastructure and resulted in civilian casualties.
The statement marked a stronger response from the Security Council to the escalating crisis. A presidential statement requires the agreement of all 15 council members and is formally read at a public meeting.
It carries greater weight than the council’s earlier press statements issued on August 7 and September 18, both of which were referenced in Thursday’s text. Those statements had called on the Houthis to immediately end their military escalation and attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) also welcomed the Security Council’s condemnation of Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi said the statement sent a clear message against targeting the Kingdom and threatening maritime security and international trade.
He called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and an end to the supply of weapons and support to the Houthis.
Al-Budaiwi reaffirmed the GCC states’ solidarity with Saudi Arabia and their support for measures to safeguard the Kingdom’s sovereignty, security and population.
Separately, Saudi Civil Defence issued a warning of potential danger in Yanbu Governorate on Friday through the National Early Warning Platform.
The warning was lifted shortly afterwards, according to the information provided.
