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The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on October 11 condemning in the strongest terms the attack by the Houthis on Riyadh airport the day before. The ministry extended condolences to the families of those killed and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, among them a French national. France reaffirmed its total solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and said it would continue to stand by the country in defending its territory and infrastructure. The statement called on the Houthis to end their attacks immediately.
The attack on King Khalid International Airport killed 12 people and wounded hundreds, according to the General Authority of Civil Aviation. Saudi Arabia identified the nationalities of the victims as four Saudis, two Bangladeshis and one each from the United States, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt. This was the third Houthi attack on the airport in a week, Al Jazeera reported.
This latest condemnation builds upon earlier French positions on Houthi activities in the region. On September 9 the French ministry had utterly condemned Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. It had expressed wholehearted solidarity with the Yemeni authorities and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at that time while reiterating support for a United Nations-led political process.
France has enhanced its military cooperation with Saudi Arabia in response to the persistent threats. President Emmanuel Macron announced the sending of French troops, radar units and defence systems to Saudi Arabia on September 24. The French foreign minister subsequently described the assistance as strictly defensive, according to a report by Khaleej Times.
The Houthi attack has prompted responses from several international actors. United States President Donald Trump called the attack terrible and planned to speak with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply shocked by the lethal attack and warned that such actions threaten regional security and complicate peace efforts for Yemen.
The ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis dates back to 2015 when the kingdom led a coalition to support the Yemeni government against the Iran-backed group. Repeated attacks on Saudi territory have targeted both military and civilian sites including airports. France has consistently called for the Houthis to stop their military actions to allow for a political solution to the Yemeni crisis.
