Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a UN Security Council statement condemning attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the kingdom, and said it reserved the right to take “all necessary measures” to protect its security.
The foreign ministry said the council had condemned the “continued and escalating” attacks, which it said have hit civilian infrastructure, airports and energy facilities.
It also pointed to the Houthis’ continued threats to shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Riyadh called for full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015, and later resolutions. It urged greater international cooperation to stop the Houthis from obtaining weapons and other support.
The ministry praised the “solidarity” of council members and reaffirmed its right to defend its citizens and residents.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis after a series of attacks on airports and other facilities in the kingdom.
