GCC Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Civilian Infrastructure

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) foreign ministers met in Manama, Bahrain, on Sunday to condemn repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian territory. The council specifically cited a strike on King Khalid International Airport that killed 14 civilians and wounded more than 300, as well as the interception of three drones near Riyadh and in the Eastern Province by a Saudi-led coalition.

GCC officials declared that an attack on any member state affects the entire bloc and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The council called for the formal designation of the Houthi movement as a terrorist organization and urged stricter enforcement of the United Nations arms embargo. Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi further criticized Iranian interference, noting threats to maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Parallel to these developments, the internationally recognized government of Yemen appealed to the United Nations Security Council after Houthi attacks targeted state facilities, including the presidential palace in Aden. In other regional news, the United Arab Emirates expressed condolences to Saudi Arabia after two officers died in a Ministry of National Guard reconnaissance helicopter crash in the Najran region. Following the ministerial session, GCC officials met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for the ninth Gulf-Russian Strategic Dialogue to expand partnerships.