Houthis Attack Saudi Arabia and UN Envoy Looks for a «Ramadan Truce»

SMA NEWS – RIYADH

The Saudi-led Coalition announced, early morning today, the interception of Houthi drones and missiles targeting oil facilities and vital infrastructure southern Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the Coalition that 4 drones launched by the Houthis from Sanaa International Airport attempted to target a number of facilities in the southern region of Saudi Arabia.

The attacks included a facility for Aramco oil company and a water desalination plant in Jazan, a gas station in the city of Khamis Mushait, and the Dhahran al-Janoub power station.

The Coalition further stated that the attacks targeted an Aramco liquefied natural gas plant in Yanbu. The attacks did not result in any deaths or injuries, according to (SPA).

Saudi Ministry of Energy announced that the production of the Sinopec refinery in Yanbu reduced after the Houthi attack. It stated that the reduced amounts will be compensated.

The ministry said in a statement that the Houthi attacks pose a threat to the entire global energy supply and the global economy. It also warned of environmental disasters in the Red Sea due to the continued attacks.

The Houthi military spokesman said that they targeted a number of Aramco facilities in Riyadh, Yanbu and other areas with a number of ballistic missiles and drones.

He also announced that they targeted a number of other vital targets in other regions in the south of the Kingdom, such as Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, Samtah, and Dhahran al-Janoub.

The Houthis have vowed to carry out more attacks against Saudi Arabia. They said that their operations come to break the siege imposed on them. They claimed to have integrated coordinates within Saudi territory and a broad target bank.

Condemnation

In a statement, the Arab League condemned the Houthi attack, which targeted civilian and economic areas in Saudi Arabia. It described the attack as “terrorist”.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also considered the attack a “dangerous act of sabotage.” Bahrain, Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait condemned these attacks in the strongest terms.

The STC in South Yemen condemned the Houthi attacks, and declared its solidarity with Riyadh. The Yemeni Foreign Ministry also expressed its condemnation and denunciation

Reply to consultations

The Coalition considered that these Houthi attacks represented a response from them to the calls for consultations between the Yemeni parties, which the GCC announced on March 29, in Riyadh.

In a statement, the Yemeni Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its condemnation of the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia. It stressed that these attacks represented a response from the Iranian-backed rebels to the calls for consultations.

The head of the Houthi Political Council Mahdi Al-Mashat said today that these consultations “outwardly are peace, and inwardly are aggression.” The Houthi leader accused Saudi Arabia of plotting to destabilize security in North Yemen.

Al-Mashat considered the consultations as a Saudi step towards gathering and unifying the their Yemeni enemies.

In a related context, the United Nations welcomed the GCC initiative to host consultations between the conflict parties in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

“We appreciate all the initiatives that support the United Nations measures aimed at reaching an inclusive negotiated political settlement to the conflict in Yemen,” she said, according to the official spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

Truce in Ramadan

In addition, the UN envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg announced a meeting, on Saturday, with the head of the Houthi negotiating delegation Mohammad Abdul Salam and Omani officials in Muscat.

The Swedish diplomat revealed efforts to reach a “possible truce” during the month of Ramadan. He said that he discussed with the Houthi official and the Omanis the ongoing consultations in the Jordanian capital and efforts to address the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

It is noteworthy that the Republic of Yemen Presidency and the STC have announced their welcome to the calls for consultations by the GCC, and their readiness to participate in them.