Somalia has condemned a new wave of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, warning that strikes on civilian and economic infrastructure could further destabilize the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. (Houthi Media Centre via Reuters)
Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia said Monday’s attacks, which the Houthis claimed targeted trucks crossing from Saudi territory near the Saudi–Yemen border, endangered civilians and vital regional security.
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In a statement Tuesday, Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the reported strikes on Saudi Arabia’s southern regions as a serious breach of international law and a dangerous escalation.
“The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is a grave violation of international law and a dangerous escalation that threatens the security of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa,” the ministry said.
Somalia, positioned along the Gulf of Aden and close to major Red Sea shipping lanes, said it remained deeply alarmed by ongoing attacks against commercial vessels and threats to freedom of navigation.
“As a littoral state, Somalia views with serious concern the continued targeting of commercial vessels and the threat to freedom of navigation, and calls for an immediate cessation of all attacks and for a renewed commitment to a political settlement in Yemen,” the statement said.
The Somali government expressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia, its leadership and people, while wishing those injured a swift recovery.
Saudi authorities said the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen carried out a wave of attacks Tuesday that wounded more than 70 people and sparked fires at oil facilities and utility sites.
The strikes represented a significant escalation in the renewed confrontation between Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally, and the Houthi group.
The intensifying conflict has heightened fears for regional stability and global energy supplies, with Houthi attacks continuing to place pressure on shipping corridors used to move oil and commercial goods.
Reports indicated that Tuesday’s strikes hit Saudi oil facilities linked to routes near Bab el-Mandeb, the strategic waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s populated territory, including the capital, said they had carried out an extensive operation deep inside Saudi Arabia.
The group said drones and missiles were used against a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait and sites associated with Saudi Aramco in Abha, Najran and Jazan. The major Red Sea port city is home to a refinery and a power plant.
