Saudi UN envoy warns Houthis are militarizing key waterways

Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abdulaziz Al-Wasel, has warned that the Houthi militia and its backers are moving toward militarizing strategic maritime straits, cautioning of the consequences for navigation in the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.

Al-Wasel said that threats to shipping in Bab Al-Mandab negatively impact the global economy. He noted that the Houthis have targeted civilian sites inside Saudi Arabia and continue to reject any settlement that could alleviate the dire situation in Yemen.

The Saudi envoy stressed that the Kingdom has always worked to create favorable conditions for peace in Yemen, reaffirming support for Yemen’s unity, sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

He added that Saudi Arabia has launched a multinational maritime coalition to protect shipping, calling on the Security Council to take a firm stance against the militarization of maritime straits.

Al-Wasel affirmed that the Kingdom reserves the right to take necessary measures to protect its security.