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British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband reiterated the United Kingdom’s support for Saudi Arabia during a telephone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on September 12, according to a report from the Saudi Press Agency. Miliband condemned attacks launched by the Houthi militia and affirmed the Kingdom’s right to take necessary measures to defend its security and resources in line with international law. The two ministers reviewed the importance of intensifying joint efforts to secure freedom of navigation in international waterways, an issue that has grown more urgent amid ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea. They agreed that protecting these routes would help stabilize the region and shield global trade from the effects of the current crisis.
A statement delivered by UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Kate Foster at a Security Council meeting on Yemen on September 10 placed full responsibility for the escalation on the Houthis. Foster noted that recent Houthi actions included reckless attacks against Saudi Arabia that reportedly injured 13 civilians, damaged homes and residential areas, and disrupted commercial aviation. The statement highlighted how the Houthis have sought to consolidate control along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, posing a direct threat to one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Foster added that these moves endanger international shipping, regional stability and the global economy, with developing countries feeling the impact first and hardest.
The United Kingdom strongly condemned the Houthis’ decision to resume conflict in Yemen and their continued strikes on Saudi Arabia, including the targeting of civilian and energy infrastructure, Foster told the council. The ambassador offered condolences to all those killed, injured or affected by the violence while standing in solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the Government of Yemen. The statement reaffirmed the right of both countries to defend their security and sovereignty in accordance with international law, a position the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has repeated in multiple recent communications.
Overnight Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia have compounded concerns about broader regional security, the UK assessment found. The group has also escalated military operations inside Yemen, further endangering international shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait where much of the world’s trade passes. A separate Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office statement issued on September 10 echoed these concerns, urging the Houthis to cease their attacks and escalation immediately to prevent deeper humanitarian suffering among vulnerable populations in Yemen.
The latest UK expressions of support follow a pattern of statements issued in response to Houthi targeting of Saudi facilities, including an earlier incident in which drones launched from Iraqi territory struck the Kingdom’s East-West oil pipeline. Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended operations along the pipeline as a precaution after the attack caused material damage. UK officials have consistently called on the Houthis to halt such actions, which they describe as violations of international law that undermine stability and threaten freedom of navigation.
In remarks carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the phone call between Miliband and Prince Faisal bin Farhan also touched on the need for coordinated international action to address threats to maritime security. The UK has worked with regional partners to support stability, protect civilians and maintain humanitarian access in Yemen, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Foster’s UN Security Council intervention on September 15 further reinforced that the Houthis bear full responsibility for the current crisis and its humanitarian consequences, which have grown increasingly severe.
