‘Undermined Regional Security’: India Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia

India on Wednesday strongly condemned attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, warning that such strikes threaten regional stability and freedom of navigation through the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb strait.

The statement by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal marked India’s first official response after the Houthis on Tuesday claimed responsibility for targeting energy facilities operated by Saudi oil giant Saudi Aramco in southern Saudi Arabia as part of what they described as a “broad operation”.

Saudi authorities said the attacks sparked fires at several oil installations and utility sites, leaving 73 people injured.

Responding to questions on the attacks, Jaiswal said India “condemned the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities”.

He added that attacks that “undermined regional security and stability and threatened freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb were unacceptable”.

Bab-el-Mandeb Gains Strategic Importance

Southern Saudi Arabia is home to critical energy infrastructure, including the Jizan refinery, which has a crude processing capacity of around 400,000 barrels per day.

The strategic importance of the Bab-el-Mandeb has increased for Saudi Arabia following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, forcing Riyadh to rely more heavily on the Red Sea route for oil exports.

Despite India’s growing purchases of Russian crude, Saudi Arabia continues to rank among India’s top three energy suppliers.

Houthi-Saudi Conflict Escalates

Fighting between the Iran-aligned Houthis and pro-Saudi forces in Yemen has intensified sharply in recent days. The escalation is being viewed as the most serious since a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022 brought an end to years of widespread fighting following an eight-year conflict.

The Bab-el-Mandeb has emerged as a key focus for the Houthis. The narrow waterway links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is vital to global trade and energy shipments.

The Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi shipping in July and subsequently began advancing towards government-controlled areas near the Bab-el-Mandeb.

Saudi Oil Exports Shift to Red Sea Route

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed Saudi Arabia to depend increasingly on the Red Sea corridor for its crude exports. Between March and July, Saudi seaborne crude shipments through the Bab-el-Mandeb were reportedly eight times higher than during the corresponding period in 2025.

The latest Houthi attacks have also drawn condemnation from Pakistan and Turkiye, which recently signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia.