RIYADH: There was widespread outrage and condemnation on Tuesday after more than 70 civilians including women and children were injured in a wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Houthis in Yemen.
The Iran-backed militia’s strikes hit civilian and energy infrastructure targets in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran. The attacks caused several fires at oil facilities in the southern region that led to a temporary halt in some operations, the Energy Ministry said .
The Kingdom would not hesitate to defend itself against Houthi attacks and would use all available means to protect its interests, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said. “The Houthi militia resorts to violence whenever it finds itself in a difficult situation. The Houthis are trying to export their domestic problems inside Yemen to Saudi Arabia,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom would not tolerate any attack on its territory and resources, and reserved the right to take the necessary measures to defend its sovereignty. The ministry urged the Houthis to cease all forms of military escalation and threats to maritime security, and warned against targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and infrastructure were “dangerous,” and demonstrated the group’s “hostile and irresponsible” approach, said Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
He accused the Houthis of deliberately targeting Saudi national infrastructure and civilian facilities in a violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a direct threat to the safety of its people.
The Houthi strikes were condemned throughout the Arab and Muslim world, from the GCC to authorities in Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Lebanon, the UAE, Pakistan and Sudan.
The attacks were a blatant violation of international laws and norms, showed a complete disregard for the safety of civilians, and threatened regional and international security, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said. “Targeting civilian installations ... is a terrorist act that cannot be justified or tolerated under any pretext,” he said.
