The Security Council Condemns Houthi Missile Attacks on Saudi Arabia

On Wednesday, April 8, the United Nations Security Council issued a statement strongly condemning the recent missile attacks by Houthi militants on Saudi Arabia. According to Reuters, the Security Council also criticized the violation of Yemen's arms embargo in this statement. Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday evening that its defense system had intercepted seven ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Reports indicate that the debris from the missiles fell on a residential area, resulting in one death. The statement from the 15 members of the Security Council also expressed concern over the threats made by Houthi militants to continue missile attacks on Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries. According to the report, the missile attacks on Sunday by the Houthi militants have increased the risk of escalating conflict in this war-torn country, where millions face the threat of hunger and famine. The Security Council members also expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation and the dire consequences of the war for civilians in Yemen. Yemen has been the battleground for the past three years between a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia and Houthi militants and their allies. Regional and Western countries accuse Iran of providing military support to the Houthi militants, while the Houthis deny these accusations, claiming they are part of a revolutionary movement against corruption in Yemen. Western countries also accuse Iran of destabilizing the region by interfering in the internal affairs of Middle Eastern countries and have called on Tehran to stop military assistance to the Houthi militants. In this context, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen has accused Tehran of supporting Houthi missile attacks on Saudi territory and threatened that Iran would retaliate against Houthi missile attacks. United Nations experts responsible for monitoring the implementation of Yemen's sanctions have previously stated that the missiles and weapons used by the Houthis have Iranian origins. Meanwhile, Iran denies the accusations of providing military support to the Houthi militants. In this context, Yadollah Javani, the political deputy of the IRGC, stated that the claim of the Iranian origin of Yemen's missiles is a Saudi tactic to divert public opinion from its crimes in Yemen. He added, 'Everyone knows that the routes for sending weapons to Yemen are blocked and Saudi Arabia has completely besieged Yemen.' Despite the Iranian government's denials, calls for Iran to stop sending weapons to the Houthi militants continue. In this regard, Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, and Penny Mordaunt, the UK International Development Secretary, stated in a joint statement that if Iran is genuinely committed to a political solution for Yemen, as it claims in its public statements, it must stop sending weapons to Yemen, as this prolongs the war, escalates regional tensions, and threatens international peace and security. The statement further questioned why Iran spends a significant portion of its income in a country with no historical ties or specific interests, instead of using its influence to end the conflict and help the people of Yemen. In response, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that Britain 'is not in a position to accuse others.'