Regional, Int’l Community Voice Solidarity with Saudi Arabia after Houthi Ballistic Attack

Arab World

March 30th, 5:08am

Riyadh – Asharq Al-Awsat

Remains of a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia are displayed by the Arab coalition. (SPA)

The regional and international community expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia on Sunday after the Iran-backed Houthi militias fired ballistic missiles towards the Kingdom in an attempt to attack civilian targets in Riyadh and Jizan. Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Dr. Nayef al-Hajraf said the terrorist attack took place at a time when the world was focusing its efforts on the fight against the novel coronavirus. Such an attack not only targets Saudi Arabia’s security, but the entire Gulf region, he said, describing it as a flagrant violation of international laws and norms that bar assaults against civilians. He hailed the alertness of the Saudi Royal Air Force that managed to intercept and destroy the missiles before they reached their targets. He stressed the GCC will stand by Saudi Arabia in all measures it deems necessary to safeguard its security and stability. He called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and firmly confront the Houthis as they attempt to destabilize the region. Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen condemned the Houthi attack against innocent civilians, expressing complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia in all measures it takes to confront this dangerous terrorism. He called on the United Nations Security Council to assume its responsibilities in confronting such acts and renewed the OIC’s support for the Saudi-led Arab coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen. The Jordanian government slammed “cowardly” the Houthi terrorist attack. A foreign ministry spokesman expressed Jordan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for any measure it finds necessary to safeguard its security and stability. Bahrain expressed its strong condemnation of the Houthi attack, which it said demonstrates the terrorists’ insistence on targeting civilians and threatening Saudi Arabia and the region’s security and stability. It lauded the readiness of the Saudi Royal Air Force that managed to intercept the missiles before they reached their targets. Manama voiced its solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the measures it takes to protect its security and people. An official source at the Kuwaiti foreign ministry expressed the country’s strong denouncement of the Houthi crime. Such an attack not only targets Saudi security and the safety of its people, but the security of the entire Gulf region. The attack violates international laws at the time the world is focusing its efforts in combating the catastrophic coronavirus pandemic, it said, according to the state news agency KUNA. The Yemeni foreign ministry slammed the Houthi attack, noting that it took place shortly after the militias accepted the UN envoy’s call for calm in order to fight the coronavirus, which proves that they actually do not want peace. British Middle East Affairs Secretary James Cleverley said: "I condemn in the strongest condemnation the attempts of the missile attack by the Houthis against Riyadh and Jizan yesterday. These reckless attacks threaten densely populated urban areas and their infrastructure." He added in a statement broadcast by the British government: "I was appalled that the Houthis had increased their rocket attacks on Saudi Arabia after the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, called on the parties to work towards a political solution to end this appalling conflict, while the Houthis' response was positive to this call, their actions are contrary to that. " Cleverley called on the Houthi militias to stop these provocative actions and to engage urgently and constructively in the UN-led peace process.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2206661/regional-int%E2%80%99l-community-voice-solidarity-saudi-arabia-after-houthi-ballistic