Iran-backed Houthi attacks on Saudi cities, airports and vital infrastructure intensified as Saudi Arabia’s representative to the UN warned Yemen must not become a staging ground for strikes on the Kingdom or threats to Red Sea shipping. Abdulaziz Alwasil told the Security Council on Friday, Oct. 9, that Saudi Arabia would take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and citizens.
His remarks came a day after two attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The strikes killed three Saudi nationals, including Saudia pilot Capt. Hamoud Ali Alkalthami, and injured several others. The attackers targeted airport facilities and an aircraft belonging to the national carrier, causing damage and disrupting flights.
Airport and Civilian Infrastructure Under Attack
Alwasil condemned the strikes as a “blatant act of aggression” and said attacks on civilian infrastructure put civilians and aviation security at risk. He reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to defend its territory and deter further attacks, while saying Riyadh remained committed to a political solution.
Earlier strikes on Abha and Riyadh airports on Oct. 6 and 7 killed three civilians and injured 36 others, Saudi aviation authorities said. In recent weeks, missiles and drones had also targeted Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, Alwasil told the Security Council.
He cited a Sept. 15 attempt to target Makkah and a Sept. 29 attack on the Taiba electricity distribution station in Madinah, calling them provocations against Muslims worldwide. The attacks, he said, also threatened commercial shipping, energy supplies and international trade through the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
Iran-Backed Houthi Escalation
Alwasil said external military and technical support had strengthened the Houthi militia’s capabilities and undermined regional stability. He warned that such support contributed to “the perpetuation of chaos, the proliferation of weapons outside state control, and the undermining of security and stability in Yemen and the region.”
“Nor can it accept that a terrorist militia impose its will on Yemen and the region by force,” Alwasil said. He accused the Houthis of rejecting diplomatic initiatives and choosing military escalation that obstructed efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution. “Saudi Arabia has always placed peace above all other options,” he said.
The report said renewed fighting in Yemen accompanied the latest violence. Houthi forces had advanced along parts of the Red Sea coast, while Saudi-backed government forces launched counteroffensives.
Alwasil also accused the Houthis of forcibly displacing civilians, using starvation as a weapon and recruiting children to fight. He warned continued military escalation would deepen Yemenis’ suffering and undermine a comprehensive political settlement.
Navigation and Yemen’s Political Future
Saudi Arabia called on the Security Council to enforce relevant resolutions, including those concerning the arms embargo on the Houthis and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. Alwasil reiterated Saudi support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government and UN-led peace efforts, saying any settlement must preserve Yemen’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
Saudi Arabia also cited its economic and humanitarian assistance to Yemen. Alwasil said Saudi Arabia made a budget support payment exceeding SR224 million ($59.7 million) on Oct. 4. Saudi economic and development support exceeded $12.6 billion between 2012 and 2026, in addition to more than $4.5 billion in humanitarian assistance. He urged the Security Council to act to stop Houthi attacks and prevent further threats to regional security and international navigation.