Saudi Arabia and UAE call for closer Gulf coordination over Houthi attacks

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Monday called for stronger coordination among Gulf nations to contain escalating regional tensions, according to Arab News. The call came amid continuing Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.

The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and his Emirati counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, discussed the latest regional developments in a telephone conversation. They condemned attacks by the Yemeni militia against civilian sites in Saudi Arabia, Arab News reported.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, as cited by Arab News, the ministers stressed the need for closer consultations and joint diplomatic efforts. They said these would strengthen cooperation among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, support de-escalation and prevent conflicts from spreading across the region.

Arab News said the call followed a meeting in Bahrain a day earlier. At that meeting, GCC foreign ministers condemned what they described as recent, repeated attacks against Saudi Arabia by the Houthis. They reaffirmed their solidarity with the Kingdom and their commitment to collective security.

The six GCC members, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, reiterated that an attack against any single member is a threat to all. They invoked the organisation's joint-defence agreement and backed Saudi Arabia's right to defend itself, the report said.

The telephone talks also followed a visit to Abu Dhabi on Sunday by the Saudi defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman. According to Arab News, he met the UAE president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional security.

In a separate telephone call on Monday, Prince Faisal and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, also condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. They discussed the latest regional developments and efforts to strengthen regional stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Background

Arab News reported that the Houthis in Yemen have intensified their attacks on the Kingdom this month. The attacks have targeted Saudi airports, energy infrastructure and civilian areas. According to the report, several deadly strikes hit King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other airports in the country.

The attacks have disrupted air travel, the report said. It added that they have heightened regional security concerns. The war between the Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognised government continues, Arab News said.

The report does not give casualty figures for the strikes, and it does not say how many attacks occurred or when each one took place. Arab News is the only source for this report. Its account has not been checked against other outlets or official statements from the Houthis.