UN Security Council Condemns ‘Escalatory’ Houthi Attacks

The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned what it described as “escalatory” attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi Arabia, including “reckless strikes” targeting Riyadh’s international airport.

The airport has come under attack 20 times since the beginning of the month. A strike last weekend reportedly killed 13 people and injured more than 300.

In a joint statement delivered by the Security Council president, Greece’s Evangelos Sekeris, the 15-member body “condemned in the strongest terms continued and escalatory Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” It also denounced continued Houthi attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The council reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s inherent right to self-defence in accordance with international law.

Following the airport attack, the Saudi-led coalition said on Thursday it had intercepted a missile in the region of Medina, one of Islam’s holiest cities. The Houthis, who have repeatedly pledged to spare the religion’s sacred sites, denied responsibility for the incident.

Meanwhile, Houthi rebels launched a deadly missile attack on Thursday against the presidential palace complex in Aden, the interim capital of Yemen’s internationally recognised government. The strike hit command centres inside the compound used by government forces and the Saudi-led military coalition supporting them.

Yemen’s Health Minister Qasim Buhaibeh said the attack killed five people and injured 16 others, including security personnel guarding the site and civilian employees.

Yemen’s civil war, in which Saudi Arabia has led a military coalition supporting the government since 2015, reignited in September following the collapse of a truce that had held for several years.