Saudi Arabia: lack of UN action on Houthis encourages regional terrorism

Yemen's Houthi rebels have increased attacks on kingdom

Abdallah Al Mouallimi, Saudi ambassador to the UN. Getty Images

Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday that the UN’s lack of strict action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels allows the group to continue its terrorist acts in the region.

In recent weeks attacks against the kingdom by the rebels have increased.

On Saturday an attack on the Saudi border town of Jizan killed two civilians and injured seven.

“It is obvious that the absence of strict actions by the international community, and in particular the UN Security Council, towards the Houthi militias’ weapons supplier will allow these terrorist militias to continue their terrorist acts in the region,” the kingdom’s mission to the UN said.

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the UN, Abdallah Al Mouallimi, sent a letter to the UNSC about his country’s concerns over “the continued terrorist attacks committed by the Iranian-backed Houthi militias against Saudi Arabia’s civilians”.

“It is crucial for the UNSC to shoulder its responsibility towards the Houthi militias, their weapons supplier and the resources which fund their terrorist acts, in order to stop their threats to international peace and security,” the ambassador's statement said.

The kingdom is leading a military coalition, by the request of Yemen's internationally recognised government, against the Houthis after the rebels ousted authorities from Sanaa in 2014.

A coalition attack destroyed a Houthi camp warehouse on Sunday in Sanaa. The attack was part of an increase in the coalition's aerial bombing campaign against the rebels.

The recent attacks have been condemned by Saudi Arabia's Gulf allies and the international community.

The UAE expressed its "strong condemnation and denunciation" of the attack on Jizan that resulted in the killings of a Saudi citizen and a Yemeni resident. Of the seven that were injured, six were Saudi civilians and one was a Bangladeshi resident.

"The attack is considered to be a dangerous escalation and a cowardly act that calls for taking all necessary measures to protect civilians from the Houthis," the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation said.

On Sunday the coalition revealed that Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group had been supporting the rebels in launching ballistic missiles and drones from Sanaa airport to regional states.

In a presentation the coalition showed photos and videos to support its claims.

They portrayed members of Hezbollah assisting the Houthis on how to use and assemble the drones and missiles, which the coalition suspects are being used against the kingdom.

Hezbollah is a designated terrorist group by the US and European Union.