EU condemns Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, urges immediate halt

The European Union on Tuesday strongly condemned the latest Houthi attacks targeting civilian and economic infrastructure in southern Saudi Arabia, saying the strikes injured 73 civilians, including women and children.

"These attacks constitute a dangerous escalation, violate international law, undermine regional security and stability and risk further jeopardising efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Yemen," European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said in a statement.

"The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure is unacceptable," he added.

The bloc called on the Houthis to immediately halt all attacks inside and outside Yemen, including attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea, and to comply with UN Security Council resolutions 2722, adopted in 2024, and 2826, adopted in 2026.

"Peace and stability in Yemen are essential for the security of the Gulf region and the Red Sea," the statement said.

Earlier Tuesday, Yemen's Houthi group confirmed carrying out large-scale missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia targeting Aramco facilities in Abha, Najran and Jizan, as well as Khamis Mushait Air Base.

The group said the operation was in response to Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, claiming that Riyadh carried out 121 strikes over the past three days in Marib, Al-Bayda, Al-Hudaydah, Taiz and Al-Jawf provinces.

The announcement came after Saudi authorities said Houthi attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran injured at least 73 civilians, including women and children.

Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.