UNSC Affirms Saudi Arabia’s Right to Self-Defence After Deadly Houthi Attacks on Riyadh Airport

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia, Reaffirms Kingdom’s Right to Self-Defence

The United Nations Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s inherent right to self-defence under international law, following a series of deadly strikes targeting civilian infrastructure.

In a presidential statement, the 15-member council specifically denounced the attacks on October 10 and 11 against King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which reportedly killed 14 people and injured more than 300. The statement also cited attacks on other airports and Saudi Aramco facilities across the Kingdom, which affected civilian aviation and energy infrastructure and caused further casualties.

The latest statement represents a stronger response from the Security Council compared with its earlier press statements issued on August 7 and September 18. Those statements had urged the Houthis to immediately halt their military escalation and attacks on civilians and civilian facilities.

A presidential statement requires consensus among all 15 council members and is formally recorded at a public meeting, giving it greater diplomatic significance than a press statement.

The council expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia over attacks affecting civilians and civilian objects on its territory. It also extended condolences to the victims’ families and the Saudi government and people, while wishing those injured a full and speedy recovery.

Beyond the attacks on Saudi territory, council members condemned continued Houthi attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. They stressed the need to protect commercial vessels and their crews, uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and respect freedom of navigation and international humanitarian law.

The Security Council also called for the full implementation of Resolution 2216, adopted in April 2015, which established a targeted arms embargo against the Houthis. It urged practical cooperation, including with Yemen’s internationally recognised government, to prevent the group from obtaining weapons, technical assistance, training and financing that could enable further attacks. All UN member states were reminded of their obligations under the embargo.

Reiterating its support for Yemen’s government, the council reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. It emphasised that lasting peace in Yemen could not be achieved through violence, coercion or the use of force.

The statement also endorsed the efforts of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg to secure a negotiated and inclusive political settlement led and owned by the Yemeni people.

Series of Attacks Across Saudi Arabia

The October 10 strike on King Khalid International Airport was described as the deadliest attack against Saudi Arabia in more than a decade. A ballistic missile struck the section of the airport complex housing Terminals 3 and 4, killing 14 people and injuring more than 300, according to the reported figures.

The victims included four Saudi nationals, two Bangladeshis and citizens of Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, India and the United States.

A subsequent attack on October 11 killed a Pakistani resident of Saudi Arabia and injured 11 people.

Earlier, an October 8 attack on the same airport reportedly killed three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, destroyed a Saudia aircraft and wounded dozens of people.

Attacks on October 6 and 7 also targeted Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport. The strike on Abha killed two women from Algeria and Morocco and injured 28 people, while another attack on Riyadh’s airport killed a Sudanese national and injured eight others.

The Security Council’s latest statement underscores growing international concern over the impact of the attacks on civilian safety, regional stability, aviation and critical energy infrastructure. It also reiterates the need for a political solution to the wider conflict in Yemen.