India Condemns Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia, Says Strikes Undermine Regional Security

New Delhi, September 9, 2026; India on Wednesday condemned attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia, saying strikes targeting civilian and economic facilities undermine regional security and threaten freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India condemned the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, particularly the targeting of civilian and economic infrastructure.

“Such attacks that undermine regional security and stability and threaten freedom of navigation in the Bab-el-Mandeb are unacceptable,” Jaiswal said.

The remarks came after the Houthis said on Tuesday that they had targeted energy facilities belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco in southern Saudi Arabia as part of what they described as a “broad operation”.

Saudi authorities said the attacks triggered fires at multiple oil installations and utility sites and left 73 people injured.

Southern Saudi Arabia hosts major energy infrastructure, including the Jizan refinery, which has the capacity to process around 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The region has gained further strategic importance for Saudi energy exports following Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The Bab-el-Mandeb, a narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, has also become increasingly important for Saudi oil shipments. Saudi Arabia has relied more heavily on the Red Sea export route amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Between March and July, Saudi seaborne crude exports through the Bab-el-Mandeb were reported to be eight times higher than during the corresponding period in 2025.

The latest escalation comes amid intensified fighting in Yemen between the Iran-aligned Houthis and forces backed by Saudi Arabia. The hostilities are being viewed as the most serious escalation since a UN-brokered ceasefire brought an end to widespread fighting in 2022, following years of conflict.

The Houthis have made control of the Bab-el-Mandeb a key focus of their recent military activity. They announced a blockade of Saudi shipping in July and subsequently advanced towards government-held areas near the strategic waterway.

India maintains significant energy ties with Saudi Arabia, which remains among the country’s top three crude oil suppliers despite India’s increased purchases of Russian oil.

The Houthi attacks have also drawn condemnation from Pakistan and Turkiye. Turkiye and Saudi Arabia recently signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, further highlighting the growing strategic significance of the developments in the region.