Saudi arabia and yemen

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that it wants to avert war in the region but stands ready to respond with “all strength” following last week’s attacks on Saudi oil assets, telling Iran that the ball was now in its court. Riyadh has accused Tehran of ordering Tuesday’s drone strikes on two oil pumping stations in the kingdom, claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group. Two days earlier, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers, were sabotaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Iran has denied involvement in either operation, which come as Washington and the Islamic Republic spar over sanctions and the US military presence in the region, raising concerns about a potential US-Iran conflict. “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not want a war in the region nor does it seek that,“ Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir told a news conference. “It will do what it can to prevent this war and at the same time it … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia says it seeks to avert war, ball in Iran’s court

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has called for urgent meetings of the regional Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League to discuss escalating tensions in the region, the kingdom's official news agency said on Saturday (May 18).The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said King Salman had invited Gulf leaders and Arab states to two emergency summits in Mecca on May 30 to discuss recent "aggressions and their consequences" in the region.Tensions have soared in the Gulf, with the United States deploying an aircraft carrier and bombers there over alleged threats from Iran.Saudi foreign affairs minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country does not want to go to war with Iran, but was ready to defend its interests.Riyadh "does not want a war, is not looking for it and will do everything to prevent it".The United Arab Emirates "welcomed" Saudi Arabia's invitation.Four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, were damaged in mysterious sabotage attacks last Sunday off the UAE's Fujairah, located at the crucial … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia calls urgent Gulf, Arab League meetings

MIDI, Yemen: Standing amid the bullet-pocked ruins of a once rebel-controlled Yemeni district, Saudi officials unveil their latest multi-million dollar aid projects, seeking to blunt global criticism over a worsening humanitarian crisis. While leading a military coalition since 2015 against Iran-aligned Huthi rebels, Saudi Arabia is also ramping up aid projects across its southern neighbour - from schools to greenhouses and desalination plants - amid international pressure to end the conflict. The coalition’s bombing campaign is blamed widely for pushing Yemen into what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with thousands of Yemenis killed and millions struggling to feed themselves. But pursuing development projects in tandem with war is a strategy that Saudi officials say is aimed at cultivating local goodwill while making Yemenis self-reliant in a moribund economy, even as activists question their effectiveness. Last month, officials from the Saudi … [Read more...] about Saudis dish out millions in Yemen aid amid global criticism