Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Defense, discussed with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin the efforts made to enhance the security of the region.
During a phone call with Hegseth on Thursday, Prince Khalid bin Salman reviewed the Saudi-American strategic defense partnership.
The two ministers discussed coordinating the efforts of the two countries to enhance security and stability in the region, and a number of regional and international issues of common concern.
The Saudi Minister of Defense also reviewed, in another phone call with the French Minister of the Armed Forces, the prospects for bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the defense field.
The two sides discussed issues of common interest, the challenges facing the region and the efforts made towards them. In order to maintain international peace and security.
The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen announced that a terrorist attack had occurred at 5:11 a.m. on Tuesday morning, on the Taiba Electricity Distribution Station in Medina, adding that the results of the investigation and inferences from the competent authorities proved the involvement of the terrorist Houthi militia in planning and implementing it through operational review and the remains of the wreckage of the drone used.
Major General Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the coalition, explained in a statement on Thursday that this cowardly terrorist act targeted a civilian property providing electrical services to the Prophet’s Mosque, noting that it caused a transformer to go out of service without affecting the network.
The coalition spokesman added that the attack comes as an extension of this extremist militia’s approach in attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques, and the continued deliberate incitement of the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world by targeting Mecca and Medina.
Major General Al-Maliki stressed that the coalition will continue to take and implement measures to deter the terrorist Houthi militia. In order to ensure the protection of the Two Holy Mosques and the safety of the guests of God in Mecca and Medina.
Dangerous going too far
For his part, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, condemned in the strongest terms this terrorist attack, stressing that it crossed all red lines and is a blatant provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world, and a dangerous continuation in violating the sanctity of Islamic sanctities.
The Secretary-General said that this Houthi attack reveals a hostile approach that does not give weight to religious and humanitarian values or to international laws and norms, especially with the repeated attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and the areas surrounding them, stressing that the security of Saudi Arabia and its sanctities is an integral part of the security of the Gulf states, and any threat to it is a threat to the security of all GCC states.
In a statement, Al-Budaiwi reiterated the Gulf states’ full and firm support for Saudi Arabia, and their full solidarity with it in the face of everything that targets its security, stability, sovereignty, and sanctities, and their support for all its measures to protect its lands, citizens, residents, and guests of God.
Saudi Arabia provided a new batch of financial budget support grant to the Yemeni government, with a value exceeding 224 million riyals ($59.7 million), in response to the Yemeni government’s request, and as an extension of the Kingdom’s continued support for the Yemeni people and the Yemeni government.
The support comes, under the directives of the Saudi leadership, in light of the challenges facing Yemen, and the attacks carried out by the Houthi militia targeting the resources, property and interests of the Yemeni people.
Saudi Arabia explained that the new payment, which is provided through the Saudi Program for the Development and Reconstruction of Yemen, aims to enhance the regularity of government financial flows and support the efficiency of financial policy, thus contributing to enhancing the purchasing power of the Yemeni citizen and supporting economic stability.
For his part, the Chairman of the Yemeni Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, expressed great thanks and appreciation to Saudi Arabia for this step, which came as a continuous confirmation of its firm position alongside Yemen and its people, and support for its institutions and national economy.
Al-Alimi added, in a post on the “X” social media platform, that this announcement “decisively confirms what was stated in the recent royal speech regarding Saudi Arabia’s commitment to comprehensive support for the Yemeni government, including extending its authority over its entire territory, and confronting the attacks of the terrorist Houthi militia.”
In turn, the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen, Muhammad Al Jaber, said that the new batch of budget support grant comes under the guidance of the leadership, stressing that the Kingdom will continue to support the Yemeni government in light of the current circumstances facing Yemen.
The ambassador explained that the value of the new payment exceeds 224 million Saudi riyals, noting that it will contribute to enhancing the regularity of government financial flows, supporting the efficiency of financial policy, and will enhance the purchasing power of the Yemeni citizen, in a way that supports economic stability and mitigates the repercussions of the circumstances that the country is going through.
The grant falls within Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to support the Yemeni government, enhance its ability to fulfill its financial obligations, and support the Yemeni economy in the face of the current circumstances.
For its part, the Yemeni Council of Ministers, headed by Shaye’ al-Zindani, appreciated this continued economic support from Saudi Arabia, which comes in an extremely difficult circumstance, and helps the government fulfill its imperative obligations, maintain the regular work of its institutions and services, and confirms that the Saudi-Yemeni partnership is not only a political position, but rather a process that supports the state in its most difficult stages.
The Council praised the content of the annual Saudi royal speech, which affirmed Saudi Arabia’s support for the Yemeni government, and its support in extending its authority over the entire country, restoring stability, and confronting the Houthi attacks, indicating that this position reflects the depth of the partnership between the two countries, and the Kingdom’s continued concern for Yemen’s security, stability, and sovereignty, and enabling its national institutions to carry out their duties.
