Cairo: Attacks by Yemeni Al Houthi militia, including one on an oil terminal in southern Saudi Arabia confirm the Iran-aligned rebels’ rejection of a recent Saudi proposal to end the Yemeni crisis, the Saudi Defence Ministry said Friday.
A projectile fired by Al Houthis triggered a fire in a tank of the terminal in the southern region of Jizan on Thursday, the latest in a spate of rebel attacks targeting Saudi Arabia.
“This attack attempt is a cowardly, subversive aggression that does not only target the kingdom and its economic installations, but also targets the backbone of global economy, security of oil exports, stability of oil supplies and freedom of maritime navigation and world trade,” spokesman for the Saudi Defence Ministry Turki Al Maliki added.
Saudi air defence forces had intercepted and destroyed eight explosive unmanned aerial vehicles fired by Al Houthis on Thursday against civilian facilities in the kingdom.
Spread chaos
“These attacks confirm rejection of the terrorist Al Houthi militia of all political efforts to end the Yemeni crisis, especially after the kingdom announced an initiative to end the crisis and reach a comprehensive political solution. They also confirm continuation of Iran’s guardianship on the militia’s political and military decision in such a way fulfilling its subversive agenda to spread chaos and undermine regional and international security,” he added.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia unveiled a peace initiative, proposing a UN-overseen nationwide ceasefire in Yemen, the reopening of Sana’a airport in the Al Houthi-held capital, and restarting negotiations between the Saudi-backed government and the Iran-allied rebels. The Yemeni government welcomed the initiative.
In recent months, Al Houthis have stepped up their cross-the-border attacks against the Saudi territory and civilian facilities.
Yemen has been devastated by a war that erupted after Al Houthi militia toppled the legitimate government and seized swathes of the country including Sana’a in late 2014.
