Riyadh:Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states held an extraordinary meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday to discuss the strengthening of cooperation and coordination among their armed forces amid ongoing attacks by Yemen's Houthi group on Saudi Arabia.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the meeting was conducted by the GCC Armed Forces Operations and Training Committee, as stated by the UAE Defense Ministry.

The GCC, comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman, held the meeting at the headquarters of the GCC General Secretariat. The names of the participants were not disclosed. The discussions focused on enhancing joint military cooperation in operations and training, developing coordination and integration mechanisms among Gulf armed forces, and supporting joint Gulf defense efforts to enhance military readiness and efficiency.

The meeting took place amid escalating attacks by Yemen's Houthi group on Saudi Arabia, with Gulf and international efforts focused on halting these actions. Although the GCC has not issued a statement on the meeting, its Secretary-General, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, recently called for 'effective' international action against the Houthi group at a ministerial meeting in Manama.

The conflict in Yemen has intensified since July, with clashes between government forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthis, following a period of relative calm due to a truce initiated in April 2022. The conflict originally began when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014.