Saudi foreign minister warns Houthi threat goes global as Trump holds fire
UNITED NATIONS — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister warned Thursday that the growing threat from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis extends far beyond his country's borders, calling for international cooperation to protect critical shipping routes after Saudi forces intercepted six ballistic missiles launched toward the kingdom.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Fox News Digital that Riyadh was coordinating with Washington and other international partners as Houthi attacks threatened Saudi territory and commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The Saudi-led coalition said Thursday that its air defenses had intercepted six ballistic missiles allegedly launched by the Houthis toward the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu, according to Reuters. It was not immediately clear whether the attacks caused casualties or damage.
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Saudi authorities also issued emergency warnings across several areas, including Jeddah and Mecca, before announcing that the immediate danger had passed. Yanbu, a major Red Sea oil export hub, has become particularly important as the war with Iran disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked by Fox News Digital whether Saudi Arabia was receiving the support it needed from the US following reports that President Donald Trump had declined Saudi requests for direct military intervention against the Houthis, Prince Faisal emphasized the kingdom's ability to defend itself while calling for a broader international response.
"So we are, of course, defending ourselves. And we are responding as necessary to the attacks by the Houthis. But we are also, of course, coordinating with all of our international allies, because this is not just about Saudi Arabia," he said.
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"The fact that the Houthis are threatening the Bab el-Mandeb, threatening international shipping, is a risk to international security stability. That means that the responsibility to dealing with this threat is not just on Saudi Arabia, it is also on the whole international community."
The foreign minister thanked countries already working with Riyadh and confirmed that discussions with Washington were continuing.
"And we are obviously continuing to work with our partners in the U.S., to address the issue of this conflict as well," he said.
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His remarks came as the Trump administration faced renewed requests from Saudi Arabia to take military action against the Houthis.
According to a Sept. 21 Axios report, Trump considered ordering strikes against the group over the weekend but ultimately decided against them. The report said Saudi officials had again sought American military assistance as Houthi forces advanced in Yemen, while the U.S. continued providing intelligence and targeting support without directly entering the fighting.
The Houthis' territorial advances have intensified concerns over control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic passage connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and a crucial route for international trade and Saudi oil exports.
The group has expanded its control along Yemen's western coastline in recent weeks, reaching the shores of the strategic waterway as fighting with Saudi-backed government forces escalated.