Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states held an extraordinary meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss strengthening cooperation and coordination among their armed forces amid continued Houthi militia attacks on Saudi Arabia.
The meeting was convened by the GCC Armed Forces Operations and Training Committee at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat, according to the UAE defence ministry.
The ministry said discussions focused on strengthening joint military cooperation in operations and training, as well as developing coordination and integration mechanisms among Gulf armed forces.
The talks also aimed to support joint Gulf defence efforts and improve military readiness and efficiency, the ministry said, without disclosing the participants or any decisions reached.
The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
Calls for action against Houthis
The meeting comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and regional and international efforts to halt them.
Although the GCC has not issued a statement on Wednesday’s meeting, Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi called on Sunday for “effective” international action against the Houthis following a ministerial meeting in Manama.
Yemen has seen renewed fighting since July between government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi militia, following a period of relative calm under a truce that began in April 2022.
The conflict started in September 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces.
