UN Security Council Backs Saudi Arabia, Condemns Houthi Attacks And Warns Of Regional Escalation

UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Strikes On Saudi Arabia, Warns Yemen Conflict Could Escalate

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned the latest Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, with member states voicing broad support for Riyadh and warning that the renewed violence could push Yemen back toward a full-scale war.

The emergency session was convened at the request of the UK and Bahrain after Houthi forces launched missile and drone attacks on September 8 against several targets in southern Saudi Arabia, including a military air base and energy facilities.

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

UN Warns Of Return To Large-Scale Fighting

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

Grundberg said Houthi forces had seized the port city of Mokha, giving them a direct presence near strategically important maritime routes and raising fresh concerns over freedom of navigation.

Fighting has also spread to Marib, Jouf and Al-Baida, while civilians have been killed in several areas, he said. Shelling of displacement sites in Marib reportedly killed children and destroyed shelters.

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

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

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

Gulf States Stand With Saudi Arabia

Speaking on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain’s UN envoy Jamal Fares Alrowaiei strongly condemned the attacks and accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting civilians and critical facilities.

He described the strikes as a serious escalation and a direct threat to regional stability. The GCC, he said, considers Saudi Arabia’s security to be an integral part of the security of its member states.

The bloc backed Saudi Arabia’s efforts to protect its 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, as well as their supporters, to be held accountable.

US Accuses Iran Of Backing Houthis

The United States also expressed firm support for Saudi Arabia.

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

She accused the group of carrying out similar attacks inside Yemen and linked the latest escalation to wider threats against shipping through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

Neidhart said the attacks posed a direct threat to regional and global energy security and accused Iran of being behind the Houthi campaign.

Washington demanded 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 cutting off resources available to the group.

UK Warns Of Threat To Red Sea Shipping

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

She warned that attacks threatening navigation through the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait could have consequences that would fall particularly heavily on developing countries.

Foster also highlighted Yemen’s worsening humanitarian crisis, saying more than 22 million Yemenis require humanitarian assistance and more than 18 million face acute food insecurity.

She accused Iran of continuing to provide military support to the Houthis and called on Tehran to halt the transfer of weapons and other military assistance.

Pakistan And Denmark Condemn Attacks

Pakistan’s UN envoy Asim Iftikhar Ahmad condemned the strikes on civilian and economic targets in Abha, Jazan and Najran, calling them a serious violation of Saudi sovereignty.

Islamabad expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and recognised its right to defend its territory and citizens.

Denmark also condemned the latest attacks and called on the Houthis to end strikes inside Yemen and attacks targeting international shipping.

Danish Deputy Permanent Representative Sandra Jensen Landi urged Iran to refrain from provocations against regional countries, including through proxy groups, and to stop supporting the Houthis.

China Calls For De-escalation

China adopted a more cautious position and did not directly assign responsibility for the attacks to the Houthis.

Chinese envoy Fu Cong expressed concern over the sharp escalation and condemned civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. He called for an end to indiscriminate attacks against civilians and non-military targets.

Fu said the situation had reached a critical juncture and urged the international community to intensify diplomatic efforts.

He called on all sides to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Yemen and Saudi Arabia and move toward de-escalation and a political settlement.

The Security Council meeting comes amid growing fears that renewed Houthi attacks, cross-border violence and threats to vital maritime routes could widen Yemen’s conflict and add to instability across the Middle East.