India condemns Houthi attack in Saudi as 'unacceptable', says strikes threaten navigational freedom in Bab-el-Mandeb

India condemned the recently reported Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, terming the strikes that threatened freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb as 'unacceptable'.

Responding to a media query on the recent strikes in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "In response to a media query on the reported Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia, the Spokesperson said that India condemned the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities."

Also read: Pakistan warns Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia could activate joint defence pact


MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal added that such attacks that undermined regional security and stability and threatened freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb were unacceptable.

Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthis attacked energy facilities and cities in United States ally Saudi on Tuesday, wounding more than 70 people. The latest strikes underscore the risk of the Iran conflict escalating into a wider regional war. Fires erupted at some energy facilities ​and several people were injured as firefighting and other emergency teams rushed to the scenes to contain the blazes, the Saudi energy ministry said.

The Houthis, who ‌control major populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have been launching attacks towards Saudi Arabia since they declared ​a naval blockade against ​Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting its vessels in the Red Sea.

Also read: Houthis attack Saudi energy sites, cities, wound 73 as Iran war risks wider escalation

Pakistan issues a fresh threat, warning of bigger attacks

Pakistan said that there should be "no ambiguity" that an attack on any one of the three members of the newly formed Makkah Defence Alliance would be treated as an attack on all. The neighbouring country signalled bigger attacks as it warned that the pact could become operative following Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's said any unprovoked aggression against a member state, or a spillover of the Yemen conflict into Saudi Arabia, would activate the collective-defence provisions of the agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in Makkah last month.

"There should be no ambiguity; there is no need for any clarity that this is a joint defence agreement," Asif said in an interview with Geo TV channel. Pakistan would honour its commitments to Saudi Arabia under the pact, he said, as quoted by PTI.

"There should be no doubt about this. We are bound by the terms and conditions of this pact and, God willing, we will honour them in case there is a need," Asif added.