India and Pakistan Condemn Houthi Strikes on Saudi Arabia

The Government of India and the Government of Pakistan have strongly condemned a series of Houthi militant attacks on Saudi Arabian sovereign territory. The strikes targeted civilian infrastructure and economic assets, including the East-West oil pipeline and the Red Sea oil port of Yanbu, as well as the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. On September 15, Saudi air defenses intercepted a Houthi drone attempting to enter the prohibited airspace of Mecca, triggering unprecedented aerial threat alerts in Mecca, Jeddah, and Taif.

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the escalation as "totally unacceptable," stating that such attacks undermine regional stability and threaten freedom of navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb strait. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed these security concerns with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud during the BRICS summit. Simultaneously, the Government of Pakistan reaffirmed its support for Saudi sovereignty during an emergency UN Security Council meeting.

The Houthi movement denied targeting holy sites, claiming their operations focus on military and oil facilities. However, the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen declared the threat to Mecca a "red line." The conflict has coincided with a global energy shortage and the shutdown of the East-West Pipeline due to a separate attack by Iran-aligned fighters in Iraq, pushing Brent crude prices above $108 a barrel. In response to the volatility, the Federal government of the United States issued high-level travel warnings for Saudi Arabia and the Yemen border.