Sanaa [Yemen], September 20 : Yemen’s Foreign Affairs Ministry on Sunday condemned Houthi strikes on Saudi cities and civilian infrastructure, including an attempt to target Riyadh, as Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said they carried out two military operations targeting sites in Riyadh and an 'Aramco' facility in Yanbu.
In a statement issued on Sunday, a copy of which was received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Yemen’s Foreign Ministry condemned the launch of a ballistic missile towards Riyadh and attempts to target civilians and civilian objects in Bish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.
https://x.com/yemen_mofa/status/2101482511041765466
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemned the launch of a ballistic missile by the terrorist Houthi militias, supported by the Iranian regime, towards the city of Riyadh, and their attempts to target civilians and civilian objects in Bish, Taif, Farasan and Yanbu in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the statement said.
The ministry affirmed Yemen’s “full solidarity with the Kingdom, its leadership, government and people” and its support for measures taken by Saudi Arabia and the Coalition to Support Legitimacy to deter strikes and protect the Kingdom’s security, sovereignty and the safety of its lands, citizens and residents.
The ministry said the strikes and those that preceded them in recent days represented “a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and a threat to the safety of civilians” and were an extension of the Houthi escalation in Yemen and a threat to international navigation.
It held the Houthi rebels responsible for the strikes and their repercussions, and also held Iran responsible for continuing its military support for the group and enabling it to continue its strikes.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that supporting the Yemeni state and its legitimate institutions and enabling them to extend their authority over all its lands, coasts and ports is a cornerstone for protecting Yemen and preserving its sovereignty,” the statement said.
It called on the international community to unite efforts and take effective measures to enforce relevant Security Council resolutions and disrupt networks supporting the Houthis.
According to Al Jazeera, Yemen joined Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain and the Gulf Cooperation Council in condemning the strikes. Yemen’s internationally recognised government receives military and coalition support from Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group carried out two military operations in response to Saudi strikes on Sana’a.
“In response to the Saudi enemy's criminal attempts to target the capital, Sana'a, using ISIS-style tactics, including indiscriminate bombings targeting civilians, the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out two successful military operations using a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,”  Saree said on his Telegram channel.
“The first targeted sensitive sites in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and the second targeted Aramco facilities in Yanbu. Both operations were successful, by the grace of God, and resulted in massive fires at the targeted locations,” Saree said.
He rejected Saudi media reports that the Houthis were targeting civilians.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that the false propaganda disseminated by the Saudi enemy media, claiming that we are targeting civilians, is baseless, and any such claims are actually the result of failed interceptions by the Saudi enemy's defenses systems,” Saree said.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to enforce the equation of ‘a siege for a siege’ and ‘an escalation for an escalation’, and also target Saudi enemy troops and buildups until the aggression ceases and the blockade on our beloved country is lifted,” he added.
Earlier, Egypt condemned the strikes on Riyadh,  Al Jazeera reported.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes “in the strongest terms”, calling them a “flagrant violation” of Saudi Arabia’s security and stability and international law.
In a statement, the ministry said the strikes represented a “dangerous escalation” that could increase regional tensions and further destabilise the region.
Cairo said it “categorically rejects” any attempt to undermine Saudi Arabia’s security or sovereignty and expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia.
It also backed any measures Saudi Arabia takes to preserve its security, stability and territorial integrity, adding that the security of Saudi Arabia and Egypt is “indivisible”, according to Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jassim al-Budaiwi in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Al Jazeera reported.
The two condemned Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and the targeting of civilian objects, as well as the threat they pose to security and stability in the region, the GCC said.
They also reviewed cooperation between the council and the United Nations and discussed ways to strengthen it, along with other regional issues.
Guterres praised the Gulf states for their development and their regional and international efforts to promote security, according to the GCC.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump returned to the White House early from Camp David after an overnight stay, amid reports that his meeting at the presidential retreat was focused on deliberating and reviewing options for possible strikes in Yemen, CNN reported.
CNN National Security Analyst Alex Plitsas said in a post on X that he had been told Trump’s meeting at Camp David was intended to “deliberate and review Yemen strike options”, adding that US embassies across Middle Eastern countries were likely to face retaliatory strikes and had subsequently issued warnings.
"As I said last night, was told that the POTUS meeting at Camp David was to deliberate and review Yemen strike options. Today, U.S. embassies in Middle Eastern countries that are likely to be targets of retaliatory strikes issued warnings. Now POTUS head to the White House early," Plitsas said in the post.
Trump's early return to Washington comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions across West Asia, with concerns over possible retaliatory strikes and further military escalation involving Iran, Yemen and US interests in the region.