Lebanese Officials Say Houthi Attacks Against Saudi Arabia are 'Absolute Criminality'

Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian. (NNA)
Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian. (NNA)
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Lebanese Officials Say Houthi Attacks Against Saudi Arabia are 'Absolute Criminality'

Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian. (NNA)
Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian. (NNA)

Lebanese officials and politicians condemned the attack on Saudi oil facilities in Jeddah, saying it is an absolute crime.

The officials expressed their solidarity with Saudi Arabia, calling on the international community to deter Houthi attacks.

The Lebanese Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, condemned the aggression against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the targeting of oil installations in north of Jeddah.

"The attack on Saudi Arabia by the Houthis is a described crime that violates all international and humanitarian laws and norms," Derian was quoted by the National News Agency (NNA) as saying.

The Mufti added that Saudi security is part of the security and stability of the Arab region and all Arabs and Muslims in the world.

Derian called for "solidarity and standing by the country of the Two Holy Mosques to counter-terrorism against the Arab Gulf states."

The Future Movement also issued a statement condemning the Iranian-backed Houthis for attacking Saudi Arabia and targeting oil and vital facilities and civilian areas.

"This Iranian persistence in carrying out criminal acts goes beyond targeting the Kingdom, posing a threat to regional security and stability. It is a cowardly attack on all Arabs who are fed up with Iran's subversive arms. We stand by the Kingdom in confronting such acts, no matter the challenges and sacrifices," the statement read.

The statement reiterated that the Future Movement is in solidarity with Saudi Arabia, its wise leadership, and its good people, confirming that it will support it against any aggression.

The Future Movement called on "the international community to strongly support the Kingdom in confronting Iran, force it to stop playing with fire and threatening the security, stability, and peace of Arab countries, especially in Yemen, which it has turned into a ballistic platform for attacking Saudi Arabia and the UAE."

For his part, Minister of Interior and Municipalities Bassam Mawlawi tweeted that the attack on the Saudi security "is a clear and direct terrorism targeting of Arab legitimacy."

He asserted his support to the Kingdom in addressing the challenges threatening the common Arab security against any aggression undermining the sovereignty and security of the Kingdom in violation of international laws.

Former Minister Ashraf Rifi also said that Iran's targeting of Saudi Arabia is not a threat to the Kingdom but the whole region.

"Iran's policy aims to spread chaos and turn it into a bargaining chip with the international community," tweeted Rifi, cautioning that negotiating with Iranian terrorism means expecting more violence and instability, asserting solidarity with Saudi Arabia.

Also, former MP Mustafa Alloush asserted solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its people in the face of Houthi terrorism funded and directed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).



Trump’s Saudi Visit to Cement Deeper Strategic Ties

US President Donald Trump during his visit to the Saudi capital Riyadh in May 2017 (SPA)
US President Donald Trump during his visit to the Saudi capital Riyadh in May 2017 (SPA)
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Trump’s Saudi Visit to Cement Deeper Strategic Ties

US President Donald Trump during his visit to the Saudi capital Riyadh in May 2017 (SPA)
US President Donald Trump during his visit to the Saudi capital Riyadh in May 2017 (SPA)

Analysts expect US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia in mid-May – his first foreign trip since taking office – to lay the groundwork for deeper strategic and security ties between Washington and Riyadh, while boosting economic and investment cooperation.

The White House has officially announced that Trump will visit Saudi Arabia from May 13 to 16, as part of a regional tour that also includes Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Analysts told Asharq Al-Awsat that Trump's agenda during his visit is expected to be dominated by the region’s most pressing and complex issues, including Iran’s nuclear program and broader tensions with Tehran, the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as the current situation in Yemen.

In a previous interview with CBS News, Trump described his relationship with the Middle East as “good,” frequently praising Washington’s trade ties with Saudi Arabia and the kingdom’s regional role in promoting peace and stability.

Trump has also repeatedly lauded Saudi Arabia for hosting US diplomatic efforts and facilitating talks aimed at securing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

Dr. Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Gulf Research Center, said several key regional files require resolution or a clear US stance ahead of the president’s Gulf tour.

“Chief among them are Iran’s nuclear file and broader relations with Tehran, the current situation in Yemen, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” he said.

Sager told Asharq Al-Awsat that alongside strategic and security matters, economic issues will also feature prominently during Trump’s visit.

These include Gulf investments in the US economy, the stability of the US dollar, and global oil prices, which he described as “core economic concerns.”

He noted, however, that US tariffs are unlikely to be a priority topic during the trip.

“Unlike with other countries, the trade balance with Gulf states favors the United States, so tariffs are not high on the regional agenda,” he said.

Saudi political analyst Dr. Khaled al-Habbas said the president’s visit is a clear signal of the strength of US-Saudi relations, which have spanned more than eight decades.

“These ties have been built on a solid foundation of mutual interests across political, economic, military, and social fields,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

He added that this long-standing partnership has proven vital to the interests of both countries, particularly during regional crises and on the international stage—from the Cold War era to more recent Saudi-led mediation between the US and Russia amid the Ukraine conflict.

Trump’s decision to make Riyadh the first stop on his foreign tour reflects the importance Washington places on its relationship with Saudi Arabia, given the kingdom’s growing influence both regionally and globally, the Saudi analyst said.

“The choice underscores how much weight the US administration gives to its ties with the Kingdom, due to Riyadh’s pivotal role on the regional and international stages, as well as its significant economic and political clout,” al-Habbas explained.

He said the talks between the two leaderships are expected to cover a wide range of shared concerns, including economic cooperation and current political developments across the region and beyond.

“This visit is likely to pave the way for deeper military and political coordination, as well as collaboration in the field of peaceful nuclear energy,” he added.

Saudi Arabia holds a key diplomatic position in the eyes of the White House.

Trump also chose the kingdom as the first destination of his inaugural foreign tour in 2017— a gesture seen by many as a strong signal of the administration’s appreciation and recognition of Riyadh’s regional and international role.

Saudi Arabia has hosted two rounds of talks between the United States and Russia, as well as between the US and Ukraine, as part of ongoing efforts to broker a ceasefire and end the war that has raged for more than three years.

Washington has also expressed appreciation for Riyadh’s role within OPEC, particularly its efforts to stabilize global oil prices.