RIYADH — A drone attack targeting an oil refinery in the Saudi capital Riyadh has drawn global condemnation with the Kingdom's Gulf allies taking the lead. The attack, which took place at 6:05 a.m., resulted in a fire that was brought under control. Bahrain has strongly condemned the attack carried out by the Iran-backed Houthi militia targeting energy security and civilian facilities in the Kingdom in continuous violation of international humanitarian law. In a statement, Bahrain's foreign ministry affirmed the country's solidarity with Saudi Arabia against all attempts targeting its security and safety. It stressed the need for the international community to assume its responsibilities in condemning the criminal terrorist acts carried out by the Houthi militia that threaten regional security. The foreign ministry of the United Arab Emirates issued a statement condemning the attack. "The UAE denounces this terrorist, subversive attack, which targets vital installations and civilian facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and poses a menacing threat to the security and stability of global oil supplies," the statement read. The statement affirmed that these systematic terrorist attacks by the Houthi group reflect its blatant disregard for the international community and all international laws and norms. The UAE's ministry stressed that the continued threat of these attacks over the recent period is a grave escalation that represents new evidence of these militias' attempts to undermine security and stability in the region. "The UAE reiterates its full solidarity with brotherly Saudi Arabia, its stand with the Kingdom against all threats to its security and stability, and its support for all measures taken for the security and safety of its citizens and residents," the statement added. The statement emphasized that "the security of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are indivisible, and that any threat facing the Kingdom is considered by the Emirates a threat to its security and stability." Kuwait expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attack. The Kuwaiti foreign ministry reaffirmed, in a statement, that repeating these terrorist attacks, its escalating tempo and targeting civilians and vital areas do not only represent a direct threat to the security of Saudi Arabia and the stability of the region, but direct threat to the energy supplies and the world economy, and a direct challenge to the humanitarian and international laws. The Kuwaiti ministry called for a wide international denunciation of such terrorist acts and work toward ending them, concluding its statement by affirming the stand of Kuwait with the Kingdom and supporting it in the measures it takes to maintain its security, stability, and sovereignty. Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef Al-Hajraf also condemned the drone attack. Al-Hajjraf affirmed that the GCC stands with Saudi Arabia and supports all necessary and deterrent measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its national capabilities and achievements. The GCC also supports Saudi Arabia's efforts to stop such acts of sabotage and terrorism, and to confront all entities that implement it or support it, Al-Hajraf said. Egypt condemned, in strong terms, the terrorist Houthi militia targeting an oil refinery, in Riyadh, with a number of drones, in a new terrorist attack that targeted the territories of Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the Egyptian foreign ministry reaffirmed profound denunciation and total rejection of the continuation of this cowardly subversive aggression, which represents a direct threat to the security and stability of Saudi Arabia and its people as well as the security and stability of the energy supplies. Egypt reiterated standing along the side of the Kingdom in all measures and procedures it takes to protect its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity against these terrorist acts. Deputy spokesperson for the US State Department Galina Porter expressed the United States 'condemnation of the attack on the oil refinery in Riyadh, expressing her country's concern over the continued attacks against Saudi Arabia. In a press statement, Porter said: "The attack on the Riyadh refinery is an attempt by the Houthis to choke the global energy supply by targeting the infrastructure in the Kingdom." The US State Department deputy spokesperson added that the continued attacks by the Houthis show their absolute indifference to the safety of civilians, whether residents or workers near the sites, calling on all parties to participate in negotiations aimed at achieving a peaceful solution to the conflict in Yemen. According to the ambassador of Djibouti in Riyadh, who is also dean of the diplomatic corps in Saudi Arabia, Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama, Djibouti stressed that the terrorist and subversive acts that have been repeatedly committed against civilian objects and vital facilities, including an attempt to target a refinery, in Ras Tanura and the Saudi Aramco residential quarter, do not only target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its economy, but they also target the security and stability of the energy supplies in the world. Djibouti reaffirmed the necessity to synergize the international efforts to put an end to these subversive acts that target not only Saudi Arabia and its economy, but the entire world economy.
