G7 foreign ministers call on Houthis to halt attacks targeting Saudi Arabia

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven nations have demanded that Yemen's Houthi movement halt its strikes targeting Saudi Arabia, while also calling on Iran to stop arming the group, according to Al Jazeera.

The G7 statement specifically addressed attacks on maritime shipping routes, which have been a recurring flashpoint in the Red Sea and surrounding waters in recent years as the Houthis have carried out strikes affecting commercial vessels. The ministers' joint call links the demand for Saudi Arabia's protection with a broader appeal for Iran to cease providing weapons and support to the group.

Regional security concerns

The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen including the capital Sanaa, have for years been engaged in attacks that regional and Western governments have linked to Iranian backing, an allegation Tehran has repeatedly denied. Saudi Arabia has previously been the target of missile and drone strikes attributed to the group, and maritime shipping through the Red Sea corridor has faced repeated disruption from Houthi attacks, raising concerns among G7 members about regional stability and the security of global trade routes.

The joint statement from the G7 foreign ministers did not, according to the available report, specify what actions the group intends to take if the demands are not met, nor did it outline a timeline for a response from the Houthis or Iran. It remains unclear how Riyadh, Tehran or the Houthi movement itself will respond to the ministers' statement.

The call adds to a long list of international statements addressing the conflict in Yemen and its regional spillover effects, as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Red Sea and the broader Gulf region continue amid no clear resolution to the underlying conflict.