The Saudi-led Arab coalition emerged with three messages in wake of the string of attacks carried out over the past two days by the Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen against civilian locations and vital facilities in the Kingdom.
The first was its underscoring of restraint to ensure the success of the upcoming intra-Yemeni consultations that will be held in Riyadh from March 29 to April 7. The talks will be hosted by the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The second was its stressing that it reserves the right to retaliate to the attacks, and the third was a reminder to the Houthis against repeating their error in misinterpreting the coalition's efforts to end the crisis.
In wake of the attacks, the coalition stressed that it supports the Gulf and international efforts towards ensuring the success of the talks, noting that the Houthis wanted them to fail.
International condemnation of the attacks poured in against the Houthis.
US National security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that the United States condemns the attacks.
"The Houthis launch these terrorist attacks with enabling by Iran, which supplies them with missile and UAV components, training, and expertise. This is done in violation of UN Security Council resolutions prohibiting the import of weapons into Yemen," he said in a statement.
"Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni Government have endorsed multiple UN calls for ceasefires and de-escalation over the last year. The Houthis have rejected these calls, responding instead with new offensives in Yemen and terrorist acts, such as those launched against Saudi Arabia last night," he continued.
"It is time to bring this war to a close, but that can only happen if the Houthis agree to cooperate with the United Nations and its envoy working on a step-by-step a process to de-escalate the conflict," he remarked.
"The United States stands fully behind those efforts, and we will continue to fully support our partners in the defense of their territory from Houthi attacks. We call on the international community to do the same," he declared.
The Yemeni government strongly condemned the Houthi attacks. Its foreign ministry said they were evidence of the "Houthis' hostile terrorist behavior that rejects all regional and international efforts and initiatives aimed at ending the crisis and reaching a comprehensive sustainable political solution."
