UAE, Saudi Arabia, US, UK and Oman meet on Yemen

The five nations condemned the Houthi attacks within Yemen and abroad

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, the US, the UK and Oman have jointly condemned Houthi attacks on civilians within Yemen and abroad.

“The Quint strongly condemned the Houthis’ repeated attacks against civilians within Yemen, including US local staff in Sanaa, and their continued heinous terrorist attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and more recently the United Arab Emirates,” the countries said in a joint communique after a meeting in London on Wednesday.

On Monday, the Houthis launched missiles at the UAE that were intercepted over Abu Dhabi, a week after a drone attack killed three people in the first deadly attack on UAE soil that was claimed by the Yemeni rebels.

“The Quint expressed full support for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and their legitimate national security concerns and called for an immediate end to attacks by the Houthis.”

It also acknowledged the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s right to “defend themselves against terrorist attacks in accordance with International Law”, while taking the necessary precautions to avoid civilian harm.

The five nations also expressed their support for UN efforts lead by special envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg and called for a peaceful dialogue as an end to the conflict.

Missiles on display at a Houthi exhibition. The terrorist group has claimed responsibility for a spate of attempted attacks on the UAE leading to global condemnation. Reuters

A Houthi fighter fires an anti-tank missile in an August offensive near the south-west Saudi region of Najran along the Yemeni border. AFP

A Houthi ballistic missile aimed at Saudi Arabia. The kingdom thwarted a bid by Houthi militias to target civilians and civilian sites in the city of Khamis Mushait. Reuters

A file picture of the Quds cruise missile launch from an unidentified location in Yemen. Reuters

Missiles and drone aircraft are on display at a Houthi exhibition in Yemen. Reuters

“The Quint restated the importance of an urgent and comprehensive political solution to the conflict … [and] reaffirmed their support for the UN special envoy’s efforts to achieve this end, including renewed political talks,” the statement said.

“They called upon the leadership of Yemeni parties to the conflict to engage constructively with the UN special envoy as he deepens his consultations with them.”

More than four million people have been displaced in Yemen since the war escalated in 2015 after the Houthi rebels took over the capital, Sanaa. This prompted an intervention by the Saudi-led coalition in support of the internationally recognised government.

The five nations also agreed to hold regular meeting to co-ordinate their response to the crisis in Yemen.