Saudi Arabia has warned that the Houthi militia would face consequences for repeated attacks on the kingdom’s airports, civilian facilities and the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, reaffirming Riyadh’s commitment to protecting its security and freedom of maritime navigation.
In remarks carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Saudi cabinet on Tuesday condemned attacks targeting visitors to the Two Holy Mosques, as well as civilian and economic infrastructure.
The group would “face the consequences of its crimes and repeated heinous attacks,” the cabinet said, adding that Saudi Arabia “will not allow threats to its security or freedom of maritime navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al Mandab Strait.”
Riyadh also thanked countries and international organisations that had condemned the attacks.
Saudi Arabia backs coalition operations in Yemen
The cabinet praised military operations by the coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognised government, saying they aimed to neutralise threats posed by the Houthi militias, protect the Yemeni people and safeguard international peace, global trade and supply chains.
The remarks come amid renewed escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi militias, with attacks on airports and civilian facilities reported in recent days.
The latest escalation follows a period of relative calm after a United Nations-brokered truce took effect in April 2022.
Yemen’s conflict began in 2014, when the militia group seized the capital, Sanaa, and other parts of the country, prompting a Saudi-led military intervention in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government.
Riyadh welcomes restoration of oil flows
The Cabinet also welcomed the resumption of oil flows through Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline, describing the rapid recovery as evidence of the resilience of the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and its ability to respond to emergencies while maintaining supplies to international markets.
The pipeline provides an alternative route for transporting crude oil to the Red Sea, helping Saudi Arabia reduce its reliance on export routes through the Gulf.
The Cabinet’s statement underscored Riyadh’s twin priorities of countering security threats and maintaining the stability of energy supplies and international maritime trade.
