Saudi Arabia, Britain stress importance of ensuring security, stability of Red Sea

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom stressed the importance of ensuring the security and stability of the Red Sea to protect the global economy, in light of the continued attacks launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi militia on cargo ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for more than a year.

This came in the joint statement issued at the conclusion of the visit of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, to the Kingdom, yesterday, Thursday, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The two sides affirmed their full support for the Presidential Leadership Council in the Republic of Yemen, and stressed the importance of supporting international and regional efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis.

They also agreed "on the importance of ensuring the security and stability of the Red Sea region to achieve stability in the global economy."

For more than a year, the Iran-backed Houthi militia has been launching drone and missile attacks on cargo ships sailing in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen, saying it is in support of Gaza, which has been subjected to an Israeli war of extermination since October 7, 2023.

These attacks negatively affected shipping, trade and global supply chains, as many companies resorted to longer routes for safety, and harmed the economies of the Red Sea state.