UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks On Saudi Arabia, Warns Of Risk Of Wider Regional War

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks On Saudi Arabia, Warns Of Wider Regional War

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, with most members expressing solidarity with Riyadh and warning that the escalation could push Yemen back into full-scale conflict.

The emergency council meeting was requested by the UK, which holds the Yemen file, and Bahrain after Houthi forces launched missile and drone strikes on September 8 against targets in southern Saudi Arabia, including a military air base and energy facilities.

The attacks reportedly injured 73 people, including women and children, and caused fires that temporarily disrupted operations at a major oil refinery in Jazan.

UN Warns Yemen Could Slide Back Into War

UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg told the council that his repeated warnings about a possible return to large-scale fighting had now become reality.

He said Houthi forces had seized the port city of Mokha, giving them a direct presence near some of the world’s most strategically important waterways and raising fresh concerns about freedom of navigation.

Fighting has also spread to Marib, Jouf and Al-Baida, according to Grundberg. He said civilians had been killed in Taiz, Hodeidah, Al-Baida and Jouf, while shelling of displacement sites in Marib had killed children and destroyed shelters.

More than 11,400 households have been displaced across Yemen since September 3, with most of the displacement reported from Taiz.

Grundberg condemned attacks on Saudi civilian and energy infrastructure and called on the Houthis to immediately halt attacks inside Yemen, across the Saudi border and against commercial shipping.

He warned that the escalation could drag Yemen into the broader regional confrontation, potentially creating consequences far beyond the country.

GCC Backs Saudi Arabia

Speaking for the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain’s UN envoy Jamal Fares Alrowaiei strongly condemned the Houthi attacks and the targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure.

He described the strikes as a serious escalation and a direct threat to regional security, adding that GCC countries regard Saudi Arabia’s security as an integral part of their own security.

The bloc backed Saudi Arabia’s measures to protect its territory, citizens and assets under its right to self-defence. It also condemned threats to maritime security and freedom of navigation and called for those responsible for the attacks, as well as their supporters, to be held accountable.

US Accuses Iran Of Supporting Houthis

The United States strongly backed Saudi Arabia during the Security Council session.

Jen Neidhart, political coordinator at the US Mission to the UN, described the September 8 strikes as the latest example of what Washington considers the Houthis’ disregard for Saudi sovereignty and civilian life.

She accused the group of using similar tactics inside Yemen, including attacks that have displaced families and damaged infrastructure.

Neidhart called the strikes a direct threat to regional and global energy security and accused Iran of supporting the Houthis.

The US also linked the attacks to wider threats against shipping through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a crucial route for international commerce.

Washington called for an immediate end to Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, Yemen’s government and international shipping. It also urged stronger enforcement of existing Security Council resolutions aimed at restricting resources available to the group.

UK Calls For End To Iranian Military Support

UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Kate Foster said the Houthis bear full responsibility for the latest crisis.

She warned that their attacks threaten freedom of navigation through the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait, with the consequences likely to hit developing countries particularly hard.

Foster also highlighted Yemen’s worsening humanitarian situation. More than 22 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance, while over 18 million face acute food insecurity, she said.

She accused Iran of continuing to provide long-standing support to the Houthis and called on Tehran to stop transferring weapons and other military assistance to the group.

Pakistan, Denmark Condemn Houthi Strikes

Pakistan’s UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad condemned attacks on civilian and economic targets in Abha, Jazan and Najran, describing them as a violation of Saudi sovereignty.

He expressed Islamabad’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its right to defend its territory and people.

Denmark also strongly condemned the attacks. Deputy Permanent Representative Sandra Jensen Landi called on the Houthis to stop strikes inside Yemen and attacks on international shipping.

She urged Iran to avoid provocations against regional countries, including through proxy groups, and to end its support for the Houthis.

China Urges De-escalation

China took a more cautious position and stopped short of directly assigning blame to the Houthis.

Chinese envoy Fu Cong expressed concern over the sharp escalation and said civilian deaths and infrastructure damage were deplorable. He condemned indiscriminate attacks against civilians and non-military targets.

Fu said the situation had reached a critical point and called for greater international diplomatic efforts. He urged all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Yemen and Saudi Arabia and work toward de-escalation and a political settlement.

The Security Council’s discussions come amid growing fears that renewed Houthi attacks, cross-border strikes and threats to maritime routes could widen Yemen’s conflict and further destabilise an already volatile Middle East.