Emirati official urges stronger Gulf defence cooperation after Houthi strikes

A senior Emirati official on Monday called on Gulf countries to strengthen their collective security system after a series of attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis from Yemen on Saudi Arabia.

"Since the start of the aggression against the Arab Gulf states, based on the aggressor's misjudgement that they are the weak link in a war we sought to avoid, it has become clear that we are all targeted," Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, wrote on X. He said the attacks on the kingdom threatened the security of the entire region.

"It is necessary to revive joint Gulf action, especially in its security and defence aspects, and to strengthen the collective security system," he added, saying that "serious shortcomings in this area have encouraged others to attack us."

The UAE, which has shown in recent months its differences with Riyadh on foreign policy, notably in Yemen, expressed "full solidarity" with the kingdom on Sunday. That followed Saturday's attack on the airport of the Saudi capital, which killed 13 people and wounded 309. Its foreign ministry called it "a flagrant violation of sovereignty" and backed "all measures" to preserve Saudi security and stability.

A new attack on the airport on Sunday killed at least one person and wounded 11, according to the Saudi civil aviation authority.