RIYADH: Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani underlined on Wednesday his country’s criticism of recent Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. During a telephone call with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Tajani reaffirmed sympathy with the Kingdom in its defence against attacks on civilian facilities by the Iran-backed militia in Yemen.
I also expressed my gratitude to the Saudi authorities for their sustained efforts to guarantee the safety of our compatriots in the country,” he wrote in a statement on the social media site X. “We want to see a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Yemen, supporting the efforts of the United Nations.
They also reviewed measures to protect freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran since February, and in the Red Sea, where it has been menaced by the Houthis, to sustain commercial marine trade and strengthen Gulf security.
An effort to strengthen Operation Aspides, a naval defence mission launched by the EU in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in February 2024, is decisive for security in the region and for the protection of shipping lanes,” Tajani added.
Houthi missile and drone strikes since Oct. 6 have killed at least 20 people and injured more than 350 others, including attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Abha Airport and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam.
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