Arab states condemn ‘blatant’ Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

Arab coalition said they intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the Iran-backed militia fired toward Jazan late Saturday. (File/AP)

• Houthis fired a ballistic missile and explosive-laden three drones at the Kingdom’s southern region
• Arab Interior Ministers Council calls on international community to hold the perpetrators accountable

JEDDAH: Arab countries have denounced Houthi attempts to attack Saudi Arabia’s southern region using a ballistic missile and three explosive-laden drones.
The Arab coalition said that the Iran-backed militia fired a ballistic missile late Saturday toward Jazan that was intercepted and destroyed.
The missile attack comes just hours after the coalition forces destroyed three armed drones targeting the southern region of Saudi Arabia, including one drone that was headed to Khamis Mushait.
The coalition said that the Houthis are continuing to target civilians and civilian objects.
The Arab Interior Ministers Council strongly condemned the repeated terrorist operations carried out by the Houthi militia.
In a statement, the council’s General Secretariat said the Iran-backed group aims to destabilize security and stability in the Arab region, through financial and weaponry support from external parties, by deliberately pursuing aggressive practices that violate the rules of international humanitarian law and ignoring all efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.
The council called on the international community to hold the perpetrators of these terrorist acts accountable, reiterating its absolute support for all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security, stability and sovereignty of its lands, and efforts of coalition forces in confronting the Houthis’ threats and hostilities.
The Arab Parliament reaffirmed its full solidarity with the Kingdom against anything that targets its security and stability.
The legislative body of the Arab League described the Houthi militia as a “terrorist organization operated from Tehran to implement a policy of spreading chaos and terror in the region and the world.”
The Arab Parliament urged the international community to assume its responsibilities in confronting such Houthi criminal attacks that threaten regional and international peace and security, and to take measures that would deter these terrorist groups and those who finance and support them, led by Iran.
It stressed the need for serious action in this regard, and praised the efficiency and vigilance of the air defense forces of the Arab coalition, which succeeded in intercepting and destroying the drones.
Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), expressed his strong condemnation of the attempt to target innocent civilians in Saudi Arabia.
He reiterated the organization’s condemnation of the Houthi terrorist militia’s attempts by launching of booby-trapped drones toward innocent civilians in the Kingdom, terming them “war crimes.”
He praised the Saudi Air Defense Forces, which intercepted and destroyed the drones.
Al-Othaimeen also stressed the OIC’s firm solidarity with the Kingdom in all the measures it takes to protect its security and stability as well as the safety of its citizens and residents in its territories.
Kuwait has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the continuing terrorist Houthi militia threat to the security of Saudi Arabia and the targeting of civilians and civilian areas and the stability of the region.
The Foreign Ministry also stressed Kuwait’s full solidarity and support for the Kingdom in all measures it takes to preserve its security, stability and sovereignty.
Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the failed Houthi attack, saying that “this terrorist act constitutes a blatant attack on the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia, and a serious threat to the security and safety of its citizens and residents.”
It also stressed the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities in condemning these heinous Houthi attacks, threatening regional security and stability.
The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed its firm position in condemning these repeated and cowardly terrorist acts targeting civilians and vital facilities in the Kingdom with the aim of undermining security, stability and peace.