YEMEN / Anadolu

Yemen's Shura Council said on Sunday that Houthi group's threats to Saudi Arabia 'not only target its national security, but also represent a direct threat to Arab national security, regional and international security, and undermine de-escalation efforts.'

This came in a statement by the Shura Council (the upper house of parliament), published on its account on the American platform X, a day after Houthis threatened to target airports and vital sites in Saudi Arabia.

The statement considered that the Houthi group's threats 'represent an extension of its hostile approach and systematic behavior in undermining peace efforts, destabilizing the security and stability of Yemen and the region, and implementing the Iranian regime's agenda at the expense of the supreme national interests of the Yemeni people.'

It added that 'the threats directed against Saudi Arabia not only target its national security, but also represent a direct threat to Arab national security, regional and international security, and undermine efforts aimed at de-escalation.'

The council accused the Houthi group of 'employing state institutions, resources, and outlets under its control to serve foreign agendas that conflict with Yemen's sovereignty, aim to undermine its security and stability, and harm its Arab and regional surroundings.'

It said that 'the Houthi militia, since its coup against the state, has persistently sabotaged all regional and international initiatives aimed at ending the war and establishing peace, foremost among them the sincere initiatives and efforts led by Saudi Arabia.'

The Shura Council called on 'the United Nations, the Security Council, and all regional and international partners to move beyond the stage of condemnation and take practical deterrent steps to stop Houthi and Iranian violations, tighten control over funding and arming channels for militias, and prevent the use of Yemeni territory and outlets to serve cross-border destructive projects.'

There was no immediate comment from the Houthi group regarding the statement.

Early Saturday, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen vowed to respond 'with all firmness and unprecedented force' to any attempts to target Saudi Arabia or violate Yemen's sovereignty.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a statement that the Houthis' remarks against Saudi Arabia 'are nothing but an attempt to divert attention from their grave violations against the Yemeni people, and through which they seek to export the economic problems and suffering of the Yemeni people that they have caused.'

The coalition's statement came after threats issued by Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree, in which he said the group would respond to any attempt to violate Yemeni airspace or target the country with a 'comprehensive response' targeting Saudi airports and vital interests 'on land and sea.'

Saree claimed in a statement that 'a formation of Saudi warplanes violated the airspace of Yemeni provinces on Friday in an attempt to prevent an Iranian civilian plane from landing at Sanaa International Airport.'

Since April 2022, Yemen has witnessed a relative truce on various fronts, despite ongoing intermittent clashes, without any field progress for any side.

However, the continued lack of trust between the two sides could return the field situation to pre-2022 conditions, amid mutual threats, according to observers.