JEDDAH: Houthi militias in Yemen are continuing to break international humanitarian law by targeting civilians in Saudi Arabia.
In its latest attacks on Saudi terrority, the group launched a projectile at a village in the southern Jazan region on Saturday. Five people were injured and property was damaged.
The Iran-backed militia has attacked Saudi Arabia’s territory, killing and injuring civilians in the process, since the start of the war in 2015, often to international condemnation.
“The Kingdom has tackled many Houthi attacks, which included ballistic missiles and drones that were originally intended to target civilians,” political analyst and international relations expert Dr. Hamdan Al-Shehri told Arab News. “If it wasn’t for the Kingdom’s instant response they would have caused very big damage.”
Al-Shehri said that a group like the Houthis were not expected to act differently, other than be violent and destructive. He pointed the finger at the international community for its silence as well as countries that have lifted an arms ban on Iran.
“The recently apprehended Houthi cell in Yemen smuggling Iranian weapons has admitted to receiving training in Iran, evidence of Iran’s continued involvement in Yemen. Therefore, this makes the US unilateral proclamation to reinforce UN sanctions against Iran the right thing to do now.”
Al-Shehri added that the militia was an organization whose activities would still endanger the lives of Yemeni civilians even if they did not harm neighboring countries. “They use cities as a shield and launch their rockets from inside Sanaa, among civilians.”
He said that the international community, as part of its responsibility to maintain global peace and security, was required to spare Yemenis the agony and scourge of war by implementing UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and bring the Houthis back to the negotiation table for an inclusive political solution.
“The Houthis are a threat to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the entire region as long as weapons remain in their hands,” Al-Shehri said.
The attack in Jazan was condemned by Egypt, Jordan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
The OIC secretary-general, Yousef Al-Othaimeen, affirmed the organization’s standing and solidarity with the Kingdom in all the measures it took to protect its borders, citizens, and residents on its territory.
Houthis are ‘threat’ to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the entire region
https://arab.news/4t25q
Houthis are ‘threat’ to Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the entire region
- Five civilians injured in lastest attack at village in Jazan
NCW to rectify status of wildlife in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: The National Center for Wildlife launched the third phase of its initiative to rectify the status of unlicensed wildlife owned by individuals, continuing until May 31, as part of national efforts to regulate wildlife possession, document ownership, and ensure that sheltering, breeding, and trading practices comply with the Environmental Law and its executive regulations.
This phase follows the first and second phases of the initiative, which addressed the status of falcons, private ownership collections, breeding and sheltering centers, and business establishments involved in selling wildlife products or derivatives.
The third phase targets individuals who possess or trade wildlife on a broader scale.
The initiative aims to build an accurate database of wildlife within the Kingdom, strengthen oversight of ownership and trading activities, and raise sheltering standards in line with environmental and health considerations.
These measures contribute to limiting unregulated practices that may harm natural habitats or threaten wildlife species and reflect a growing national commitment to protecting biodiversity and enhancing the efficiency of wildlife management.
The NCW emphasized that this step comes within national efforts to protect wildlife, support ecosystem sustainability, and tackle the challenges of illegal wildlife trade.
It also called on individuals who own wildlife to take advantage of the rectification period and review the relevant regulations through the Fitri Platform.
This enables the legal documentation of wildlife, strengthens compliance with environmental regulations, and contributes to the protection of biodiversity and the sustainability of ecosystems in the Kingdom.
