Saudi Arabia Backs UN Security Council Call to Prevent Houthis from Obtaining Weapons

Istanbul (ANTARA) – Saudi Arabia has welcomed a statement by the president of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) condemning Houthi attacks on the kingdom and calling for cooperation to prevent the group from obtaining weapons.

In a statement on Friday (16 October), Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the UNSC’s condemnation of continuing and intensifying Houthi attacks on the kingdom, including strikes targeting airports and energy infrastructure.

The ministry also highlighted the UNSC’s condemnation of ongoing threats to shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

“The Kingdom underscores the importance of the provisions in the statement, including the emphasis on the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) and subsequent resolutions, as well as the call for practical cooperation to prevent the Houthi terrorist group from obtaining weapons and other forms of support,” the statement said.

Resolution 2216 demands that the Houthis immediately and unconditionally cease the use of violence and withdraw from the areas they have seized, including Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.

The resolution also demands that the Houthis surrender weapons seized from military and security institutions, stop exercising authority belonging to Yemen’s internationally recognised government, and facilitate access to humanitarian and medical assistance for civilians.

The ministry said the kingdom had reiterated its inherent right under international law to take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect its citizens and residents.

The UNSC president’s statement, adopted earlier this week, condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and called for cooperation, including with the Yemeni government, to prevent the group from obtaining weapons and related equipment.

Yemen has experienced a military escalation since July between the government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthi group, following a relatively calm period associated with a ceasefire that began in April 2022.

On Thursday, the coalition said Houthi attacks targeting airports in Saudi Arabia had killed 19 people and injured 364.