Riyadh: Jordan and Bahrain on Saturday condemned the latest Houthi attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, expressing solidarity with Riyadh and warning that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international law. Jordanian Foreign Ministry spokesman Fouad Al-Majali said Amman had 'absolute' solidarity with Saudi Arabia and supported all measures taken to protect its sovereignty, security, stability, and citizens.
According to Anadolu Agency, the ministry reported that a Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh was intercepted and destroyed by Saudi air defenses. The ministry also highlighted attempts to target civilians and civilian infrastructure in Baysh, Taif, Farasan, and Yanbu as a 'blatant violation' of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty, posing a threat to its security, stability, and territorial integrity, while breaching international law and the UN Charter.
Bahrain echoed these sentiments, condemning what it described as an escalation in Iranian-backed Houthi attacks. The Bahraini Foreign Ministry labeled the attacks a 'blatant violation' of international law, international humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Bahrain affirmed its 'full solidarity' with Saudi Arabia, supporting all measures taken to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and stability, and protect its citizens and residents.
The Bahraini ministry urged the UN Security Council to 'fulfill its responsibilities and take a firm stance' against the attacks, holding those responsible accountable. These statements came after new Saudi Civil Defense alerts on Saturday, including two in Riyadh, two in Al-Kharj, and one in Farasan. Authorities did not specify the threat or report casualties or damage.
These developments followed a broader wave of alerts on Friday, after Saudi authorities reported Thursday that one person was killed and two were injured by debris from a Houthi drone intercepted above Taif. Subsequently, the Houthis claimed to have 'foiled' what they termed 'criminal attempts' allegedly carried out by Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, without providing further details. Saudi authorities did not connect these claims to the recent alerts.
Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government against the Houthis since March 2015, as the group has controlled Sanaa and several Yemeni provinces since September 2014.