Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, has compared Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement to ISIS before it captured Mosul in Iraq, urging the international community to dismantle the group’s military capabilities.
In an opinion article published by The New York Times on Tuesday, Princess Reema described the Houthis as a terrorist movement that the world had underestimated. She called for a coordinated international effort to end the group’s existence as an armed force.
She also accused the Houthis of using children in their campaign, alleging that the group sends thousands of minors into combat and makes students as young as 10 chant anti-American slogans.
Saudi Ambassador Highlights Riyadh Airport Attack
Princess Reema began her article by referring to the October 10 Houthi missile strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, which she said killed 13 people.
She described the attack as an act of terrorism and praised Ebtehal bint Abdullah, a Riyadh Air passenger services agent who helped passengers evacuate and directed paramedics through the terminal despite being injured herself.
The ambassador said the attack demonstrated the threat posed by the Houthis beyond Yemen’s borders.
Missiles, Drones and Threats to Global Trade
According to Princess Reema, the Houthis have launched more than 1,000 ballistic missiles and drones towards Saudi Arabia since March 2016.
She also cited United Nations investigators who have reported that Houthi engineers taught members of Al-Shabaab in East Africa how to manufacture explosives and modify drones.
The ambassador warned that the group’s threats to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait could disrupt international trade. The strategic waterway carries a significant share of global shipping.
She also linked recent Houthi attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure to rising oil prices, which climbed above $100 per barrel this month.
Saudi Arabia Calls for International Action
Princess Reema urged governments worldwide to designate the Houthis as a terrorist organization, cut off their financial resources, intercept weapons shipments at sea, and strengthen support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
She said Saudi Arabia had closed its financial system to the group. She also cited operations by Yemeni government forces, supported by Saudi air power, that had intercepted more than 750 tons of weapons allegedly destined for the Houthis.
The ambassador argued that ending the group’s armed campaign was necessary to create conditions for a political settlement led by Yemenis.
