The Security Council today strongly condemned continued and escalatory Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian aviation and energy infrastructure, resulting in civilian deaths and injuries.
Adopting a presidential statement (to be issued as document S/PRST/2026/4 ), the Council condemned "the reckless strikes" on 10 and 11 October on King Khalid International Airport, which killed 13 people and wounded over 300, as well as multiple strikes on other airports and Saudi Aramco facilities in Saudi Arabia. The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to the families of the victims and to the Government and the people of Saudi Arabia.
Council members reiterated their condemnation in the strongest terms of continued Houthi attacks and threats against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, and stressed the importance of safeguarding commercial vessels and their crews.
The 15-member organ further stressed the importance of acting in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of upholding navigational rights and freedoms. The members also recalled the importance of respecting international humanitarian law.
Also stressing the importance of fully implementing resolution 2216 (2015) and subsequent resolutions, they called for cooperation, including with the Government of Yemen, to prevent the Houthis from acquiring arms and related materiel, technical assistance, training, financing and other assistance that could facilitate further attacks. All Member States must adhere to their obligations regarding the targeted arms embargo, they reiterated.
Expressing their solidarity with Saudi Arabia "in the face of attacks impacting civilians and civilian objects on its territory", they affirmed Saudi Arabia's inherent right to self-defence in accordance with international law.
The Council also recalled press statements of 7 August (Press Release SC/16429 ) and 18 September (Press Release SC/16458 ), in which it condemned in the strongest terms Houthi military escalation in Yemen, and demanded that the Houthis immediately cease their military escalation and their attacks impacting civilians and civilian objects. Council members also reaffirmed their support for Yemen's Government and their commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen.
The organ further emphasized that sustainable peace in Yemen cannot be achieved through violence, coercion or the use of force. Lastly, members reiterated their support for United Nations Special Envoy Hans Grundberg in his efforts towards a negotiated, inclusive, Yemeni-led and Yemeni-owned political settlement based on the agreed references and consistent with relevant Council resolutions.
