US reaffirms strategic defence partnership with Saudi Arabia
US top official condemns Houthi cross-border atacks on Saudi Arabia and expresses his commitment to assisting Saudi Arabia in the defence of its borders
Washington has reaffirmed its “strategic defence partnership” with Riyadh in the face of increased atacks by Yemeni rebels.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the Houthi atacks in a telephone conversation with his Saudi counterpart, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the official Saudi Press Agency and a Pentagon statement said.
The conversation came ater the White House announced on Tuesday that President Joe Biden’s first telephone call to Saudi leaders would be to King Salman.
Austin spoke with Prince Mohammed “to reaffirm the strategic defence partnership between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Pentagon statement said.
“The secretary condemned the recent Houthi cross-border atacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed his commitment to assisting Saudi Arabia in the defence of its borders.”
The Houthi rebels have stepped up cross-border drone and missile atacks in recent weeks as they resumed an offensive to seize the government’s last major toehold in northern Yemen.
“Secretary Austin reiterated recent changes in US policy towards the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, discussed the importance of ending the war,” the Pentagon statement said.
Meanwhile, the International Commitee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Yemen said it was “extremely concerned” by the recent escalation of violence between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and government forces in in the oil-rich Marib province.
“The ICRC urges all parties to the conflict to take every possible measure to protect the civilians, their properties and all civilian essential infrastructures,” the humanitarian agency tweeted.
The ICRC said it has provided medical supplies, including surgical kits, to hospitals treating the wounded, vowing to continue with the provision of medical needs.
Earlier this month, Houthi rebels renewed their atacks on Marib, the last anti-houthi stronghold in central Yemen. Advances stalled however amid stiff resistance and air strikes from the Saudi-led coalition that opposes them.
Marib province has served as a sort of haven for around 1 million Yemenis who have fled
Houthi offensives since the start of the war in 2014, according to UN figures.
The UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths told the UN Security Council on Thursday that the conflict had taken “a sharp escalatory turn” ater the Houthis launched the Marib offensive.
“I have condemned this many times... and I repeat my call now: The atack on Marib must stop,” Griffiths said. “It puts millions of civilians... at risk, especially with the fighting threatening to reach the camps for internally displaced persons.”
On Friday, the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern over the fate of several thousand of internally displaced people, or IDPS, who had to flee from Marib’s district of Swarih eastward to the province’s capital, ater the heavy fighting let them without water, electricity, heath and educational needs.
“If the frontlines continue to move east towards the city and other populated parts of Marib Governorate, it is likely hundreds of thousands of civilians will be forced to flee the area,” Liz Throssell said in a statement.
She called on all parties to ensure safe passage for civilians, including IDPS and East African migrants who have been stranded. Humanitarian workers and aid should be allowed to reach civilians in all areas at all times, she added.
Earlier, a Chinese envoy called for efforts to advance the political process and alleviate the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Since its return to Aden, the Yemeni government has tried its best to govern and provide services for people’s livelihood under very difficult circumstances. China highly commends its efforts and expects the government to accelerate internal integration, smoothly carry out its work, and get ready to participate in the comprehensive political process, said Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.
China urges all parties to the conflict to heed UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres’ appeal for a ceasefire, put down their guns, exercise restraint, and refrain from any actions that may increase tension so as to create a safe environment for the peace process, he told the Security Council.