United Arab Emirates condemn Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia: ‘dangerous escalation’

The United Arab Emirates have condemned the latest Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, saying they stand in solidarity with their neighbor — even though the two Gulf powers have disagreed on several regional issues, including Yemen.

In a statement, the UAE Foreign Ministry condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks by the Houthi group, calling them a dangerous escalation and a threat to regional security. The statement reaffirmed the Emirates’ support for all measures Saudi Arabia takes to preserve its security and stability.

The Emirates’ condemnation comes after Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted numerous Houthi drones and missiles. Just a day earlier, Qatar had also strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, calling them a “flagrant violation of sovereignty.”

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have intensified markedly in recent days, as the Iran-backed group has expanded control over the Red Sea coast and struck Saudi energy infrastructure, including the strategic East-West pipeline. Riyadh has responded with dozens of airstrikes a day against Houthi positions in Yemen.

The escalation comes at a critical moment for the region: the Strait of Hormuz remains practically blocked, oil prices have passed $130 a barrel for some physical cargoes in Europe, and the UN Security Council met urgently over the crisis at Bab al-Mandeb.

Source: Al Jazeera — aljazeera.com