G7 Urges Iran to Stop Arming Houthis as Yemen Fighting Escalates

NEW YORK (Terror Monitor) — Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) have called on Iran to stop arming and supporting Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, while condemning the group’s continued attacks against Saudi Arabia and threats to civilian shipping in the Red Sea.

In a joint statement issued on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States said the recent escalation in Yemen posed a threat to regional stability, global energy security and freedom of navigation.

The G7 ministers condemned what they described as the Houthis’ “unacceptable continued strikes” in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia, and called on the group to immediately halt all military operations, threats and attacks against civilian shipping.

“We call on the Houthis to immediately cease all military actions, all threats and attacks against civilian shipping, and to return to the political process in good faith,” the ministers said.

They also urged Iran to end its arming and support for the Houthis, saying such support was contributing to a dangerous pattern of escalation that could undermine international trade and create wider global instability. Iran has acknowledged political support for the Houthis but has denied providing weapons to the group.

The statement comes as fighting has intensified along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The Houthis have recently seized additional territory, including the strategic port city of Mokha and areas near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital maritime route connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a major corridor for international trade.

The escalation has also triggered a new wave of displacement, with thousands of people reportedly fleeing areas affected by the fighting. U.N. estimates cited in recent reports put the number of people displaced by the renewed fighting along Yemen’s Red Sea coast at more than 120,000.

Saudi Strikes Reportedly Kill Six in Mokha

Separately, Houthi-affiliated media reported that Saudi airstrikes on the Red Sea port city of Mokha killed at least six people and wounded eight others.

According to the reports, two children and a woman were among those killed. The reports attributed the casualties to Saudi strikes but there was no immediate independent confirmation of the figures.

The Houthis seized Mokha earlier this month after fighting with forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities had not immediately commented on the reported strikes.

The renewed fighting marks a significant escalation in Yemen after a period of relative calm following the U.N.-brokered truce of 2022. The latest clashes have raised concerns over the security of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the potential impact on global shipping and energy markets.

The G7 said it would continue to support Yemen’s internationally recognized government and reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.