New York:United Nations Yemen's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Al-Saadi, has accused the Houthi militias of escalating their attacks against Saudi Arabia, targeting airports, facilities, and civilian and economic assets.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Al-Saadi made these comments during an open session at the UN Security Council focused on the situation in Yemen. He described the Houthi militias as a terrorist group, accusing them of targeting civilians and critical institutions to create chaos and deflect attention from their longstanding violations against Yemenis, allegedly in service of Iranian interests.
Al-Saadi highlighted the role of the Yemeni Armed Forces, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, in defending the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb, which are crucial to the global economy. He emphasized the shared responsibility of protecting freedom of navigation, urging that Yemen should not shoulder this burden alone.
He called on the Security Council to take a definitive stance against the Houthi militias, ensuring the implementation of its resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216. Al-Saadi urged the council to take measures to disrupt the financing and smuggling networks that supply the Houthis with weapons and military components.
The ambassador also stressed the importance of holding those supporting the Houthis accountable, particularly pointing to the Iranian regime, and called for enhanced cooperation with the Yemeni government to tackle the networks fueling the conflict.
Acknowledging Saudi Arabia's support, Al-Saadi praised the Kingdom's assistance to Yemen's state institutions and economy, including a recent budget allocation. He also welcomed King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's directive to regularize the status of Yemenis residing irregularly in Saudi Arabia, describing it as a significant humanitarian gesture.
Al-Saadi concluded by urging that the international community's responsibility towards Yemen should go beyond crisis management, emphasizing the need to protect the Yemeni people.