G7 leaders condemn Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia

Gains made by Yemen's Houthis have cemented Iran and its allies hold over two key waterways, includingthe Strait of Hormuz, that the wider Gulf and top crude exporter Saudi Arabia rely on to ship out its oil.

G7 leaders representing Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States said in a statement "we call on the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions". Read:Gulf on knife edge as Saudis, Houthis trade blows"All threats and attacks against civilian shipping, and to return to the political process in good faith," it added.

They also called on Iran "to end its arming of and support for the Houthis," alleging Tehran is in violation of past United Nations Security Council resolutions. The war in impoverished Yemen, which began in 2014 with the Houthi capture of the capital Sanaa, had been largely frozen since 2022 but resumed in July.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition backing the internationally recognised government since 2015. Its intervention escalated the war, which has triggered one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Saudi strikes on Yemen's strategic Red Sea port Mokha killed at least six people and wounded eight others, the Houthi-affiliated news agency.

Sabareported Tuesday. The strikes come off the back of a Houthi attack on Riyadh on Saturday which marked the first totarget the Saudi capitalin years and a major escalation by the group. UK, France support.

Britain agreed to give military support to Saudi Arabia, media reports said Monday, adding that the UK would provide "defensive" air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets. France also pledged their support saying it is ready to work on "securing" Saudi energy infrastructure targeted by the Houthis, adopting a "strictly defensive approach", a diplomatic source toldAFPMonday.

"This in no way involves taking part in the conflict with the Houthis," the source added. The Houthis have carried out attacks against facilities belonging to the. Saudi oil giant Aramcoin the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

The East-West Pipeline — a crucial crude oil export route — has also been shut down following droneattacks launched from Iraq,. Read More:Fighting, displacement in Yemen deepen humanitarian crisis along its Red Sea coast.

The head of Yemen's governing body Rashad al-Alimi held a call with US President Donald Trump to request American support against the fighters, a source in Alimi's office toldAFPon Monday. Trump did not promise military support, the source said, adding that the call that took place on Sunday was intended as a show of solidarity with Yemen's embattled government.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also urged Trump to strike the Houthis, US media reported. The. New York Timessaid the crown prince called Trump on Sunday "to implore him, again" to help counter the group's advances, with.

Axiospreviously saying Trump had rebuffed a similar request last week. Fox Newsreported Sunday that Trump had said the Houthis have agreed not to hit US targets. Makkah Joint Defence Agreement.

The Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), is named after its late spiritual leader Badreddin al-Houthi and his son Hussein, who was killed by Yemeni government forces in 2004.

Houthi's other son, Abdulmalik, assumed the reins of power, delivering fiery speeches andtransforming his groupfrom an isolated faction in the northwest into the ruling power in the capital and a regional player.

In one such speech on Monday, Abdulmalik said Saudi had launched 760 airstrikes as of a day earlier questioning "if Pakistan and Turkiye were subjected to this number of strikes, wouldn't it cause a major crisis? "Also Read:Houthis threaten ‘decisive’ response if Pakistan, Turkiye intervene in Yemen.

He said Saudi Arabia is seeking to "push the Turks and Pakistanis forward and import Takfiris (the charge of apostacy) from Syria, at a time when Syria is facing total destruction" advising the two countries "not to become entangled for political and financial gain from the Saudi enemy". Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye last month signed the.

Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, committing the three countries to mutual defence in the event of any of them being attacked. The pact came against a backdrop of war between the US and Iran and attacks in the region from Houthi forces.