The Saudi government issued a statement on Friday calling for “restraint and non-escalation” following US and UK airstrikes against the Houthi Shiite terrorist group that controls Yemen.
“Saudi Arabia emphasizes the importance of maintaining security and stability in the Red Sea region, where freedom of navigation is an international requirement; [and of] It is in the interest of the whole world,” a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. read,”[Saudi Arabia] We call for restraint and de-escalation in light of the events the region is witnessing. ”
statement explained The Saudi government is monitoring developments with “great concern.”
Saudi Arabia has been conducting military operations against Yemen's Houthis for nearly a decade since the country's civil war broke out in 2014. Riyadh has been facing global war for many years. condemnation Some activists say their work in the country has been criticized by human rights groups.war crimes”
The U.S. and British forces confirmed dozens of attacks in Yemeni territory between Thursday and Friday against strategic targets including “radar systems, air defense systems, unmanned attack systems, cruise missiles, and ballistic missile storage and launch sites.” did. '' said U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). CENTCOM released a video of the airstrikes, which are in response to the Houthis' random attacks on container ships attempting to transit the Red Sea, severely disrupting global commercial shipping.
At 2:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) on January 11, U.S. Central Command, in coordination with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, launched an attack on the Houthis to reduce their ability to sustain attacks. Conducted joint attacks against targets. they are illegal… pic.twitter.com/bR8biMolSx
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 12, 2024
Houthi leaders responded to the attack by vowing to expand their terrorist activities against London and Washington.
“Washington and London must accept responsibility for the deteriorating situation in the Red Sea and the militarization of its waters,” Brigadier General Abdullah bin Amer, the Houthi leader of the Moral Leadership terrorist group, said on Friday.Iranian state propaganda agency press tv. “They must be prepared to accept a heavy price and endure all the harmful consequences of this open invasion.”
The Iranian-backed Houthis, a Shiite jihadist group that launched a civil war against Yemen's legitimate government in 2014, moved to Israel in October as a show of support for the Sunni terrorist group Hamas, which is also funded by Iran. declared war. As part of that war, Houthi leaders announced attacks on civilian ships navigating the Red Sea and vowed to target only those with ties to Israel. But in reality, terrorists are attempting drone attacks against ships with no significant ties to Israel, and a significant proportion of ships are diverting their routes from the area, taking much longer routes around Africa's Cape of Good Hope. I took the route.
Before making a name for themselves as disruptors of global trade, the Houthis conducted direct bombing raids on Saudi Arabia in response to Riyadh's support for Yemen's legitimate government, which the terrorists overthrew. Some of the most dramatic bombings occurred in 2022, when the Houthis escalated attacks on Saudi oil facilities. In March of the same year, a Houthi drone and missile attack on the city of Jeddah caused a massive fire at an Aramco oil tank facility near the Formula 1 car race venue.
Iranian-backed forces reportedly attacked Aramco oil tanks in Jeddah ahead of big F1 racepic.twitter.com/9BasltmPtU
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) March 25, 2022
The Houthis are “calling into question our ability to supply the world with the energy it needs,” Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman warned that month.
“In the past, together with our friends here in the United Arab Emirates, we worked together to ensure energy security. These pillars no longer exist,” bin Salman said, adding that under the Biden administration, , an apparent reference to the lack of US support in the United States.
President Joe Biden's administration has opposed Saudi Arabia's involvement in Yemen's Houthis and restricted sales of “offensive” weapons to countries and regions it considers to be allies of the United States. delete The Houthis are included on the State Department's list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.Delisting approved Hundreds of millions of dollars will be poured into Houthi-controlled Yemen.
Concessions to the Houthis – that group slogan “Allahu Akbar, death to America, death to Israel, curse to the Jews, victory to Islam,” were some of Biden's remarks. first action He will be appointed president in 2021.
Biden reportedly considered allowing offensive weapons sales to Saudi Arabia again in 2022, but ultimately took no publicly known action.
Prince Turki Al Faisal, a strongman in the Saudi royal family, said in May 2022:
Although Saudi Arabia considers this relationship to be strategic, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia believe that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia should work together to address what they see as joint threats to stability, not just provocations. We (feel) let down at a time when we thought we should have been and the safety of our community.
“The fact that President Biden removed the Houthis from the terrorist list has emboldened them to become even more aggressive in their attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” it added.
