Arab states and Gulf organisations condemned Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia on Sunday, after two ballistic missiles were fired towards the capital, Riyadh, in the latest escalation of the war in Yemen. Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain and Kuwait issued condemnations, and the Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab Parliament added their voices to the coordinated response.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attacks in the strongest terms, describing them as shameful and aggressive behaviour that showed an unacceptable disregard for civilian lives. Doha called the strikes a flagrant violation of Saudi sovereignty and a clear breach of international law, and renewed its full solidarity with Riyadh and its support for all legitimate measures the kingdom takes to protect its territory, security and citizens.

The Qatari statement said the security of Saudi Arabia was an integral part of Qatar's own security and of the collective security of the Gulf Cooperation Council states. Qatar is also acting as a mediator between the United States and Iran, and its prime minister was due to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday over efforts to end that conflict.

Gulf council calls attacks cowardly

Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, described the Houthi attacks as cowardly terrorist acts that showed a blatant disregard for human life and a determination to put civilians and vital facilities at risk. He said the persistence of the attacks required a firm international stance and effective measures to halt them and hold those responsible to account.

Egypt condemned what it called the continued heinous attacks and attempts to target Saudi cities and the kingdom's interests, describing them as a flagrant violation of international law and Saudi sovereignty, an escalatory approach and a direct threat to civilians. Bahrain and Kuwait issued parallel condemnations, and Syria also condemned the attacks on Riyadh and pledged full support for Saudi Arabia.

Call for UN Security Council action

The Arab Parliament said the continuation of the attacks posed a direct threat to regional security and stability and to the security of global energy supplies, as well as a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter. It called on the international community and the UN Security Council to assume their legal, political and moral responsibilities and adopt a firm position to ensure the attacks were not repeated.

The condemnations followed the Saudi-led coalition's announcement that it had intercepted two ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and another aimed at the kingdom's Eastern Region on Sunday. Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry said an Aramco administrative building in Riyadh was hit by falling debris, with limited damage and no casualties. The same governments had condemned a Houthi missile attempt on the holy city of Madinah three days earlier, underlining how the widening range of targets has hardened the Arab diplomatic response.