ع
GCC Secretary-General Jassim Al-Budaiwi denounced statements by the Houthi militia’s military spokesman as baseless allegations that aim to distort facts and evade accountability for deepening the suffering of Yemen’s population while endangering broader regional security and stability. According to Al-Budaiwi, such accusations cannot conceal Saudi Arabia’s continued work to assist the Yemeni people, advance political negotiations, reinforce stability across the area and deliver humanitarian and relief support. The GCC chief stressed that secure maritime navigation together with the free movement of international trade form essential foundations for both regional and global stability. He warned that assaults on international sea routes amount to direct breaches of international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and associated UN Security Council resolutions. Al-Budaiwi called upon the wider international community to maintain a resolute position against the Houthi threats and to enforce the relevant Security Council measures that defend shipping lanes.
Jordan condemned the Houthi statements through an official declaration that reaffirms complete solidarity with Saudi Arabia together with backing for every measure the Kingdom pursues to defend its sovereignty, security and the protection of all citizens and residents. Kuwait and Qatar released comparable statements that reject the Houthi allegations outright while underscoring that Saudi security remains inseparable from the security of the GCC states as a whole. Both countries urged immediate implementation of pertinent UN Security Council resolutions, notably Resolution 2216 addressing the situation in Yemen and Resolution 2722 focused on freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The parallel positions from these Arab states form part of a coordinated regional approach to counter threats that could further destabilize vital waterways and prolong conflict.
The Muslim World League issued its own strong condemnation of the Houthi statements. Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa characterized the allegations as false claims crafted to distract from the militia’s record of inflicting destruction across Yemen. Al-Issa pointed to the group’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, oil export facilities, government institutions and commercial vessels in the Red Sea as evidence of its destabilizing conduct. He contrasted those actions with Saudi Arabia’s consistent support for the Yemeni people through humanitarian assistance, development initiatives, budget contributions and endorsement of United Nations-led peace efforts. The League’s intervention extends the rejection beyond political channels into wider religious and humanitarian spheres.
The statements issued on July 21, 2026, by the GCC, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the Muslim World League reflect the involved parties’ shared assessment that the Houthi claims lack any credible basis. The GCC has maintained a consistent line in prior communiques that prioritizes political solutions in Yemen and collective defense against disruptive non-state actors. Such unified diplomatic expressions align with the bloc’s established framework for addressing shared security concerns among its members and partners.
United Nations documentation outlines Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015, as a measure that demands Houthi withdrawal from government institutions and an end to hostilities to enable a political transition in Yemen. Resolution 2722 specifically condemns attacks against merchant shipping and insists on an immediate stop to such threats in order to guarantee safe passage through the Red Sea, according to the texts maintained by the United Nations. The GCC and Arab states have invoked both resolutions in their July 21 statements as the legal foundation for protecting navigation and advancing peace while isolating the militia’s narrative.
