New Delhi: India on Wednesday denounced missile and drone strikes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels against energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, warning that such actions erode regional stability and endanger free passage through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal’s statement came as New Delhi’s first formal reaction after the Houthis claimed on Tuesday to have hit Saudi Aramco-owned facilities in the kingdom’s south in what they termed a “broad operation”.
“India condemns the attacks on Saudi sovereign territory, especially the targeting of civilian and economic facilities,” Jaiswal said.
He added that such attacks, which “undermine regional security and stability and threaten freedom of navigation in the Bab el-Mandeb, are unacceptable”.
Strikes Wound 73, Hit Key Oil Sites
Saudi officials reported that the assault set off blazes at several oil and utility installations and left 73 people injured.
The affected zone includes vital energy assets such as the Jizan refinery, capable of handling 400,000 barrels of crude daily. With Iran having shut the Strait of Hormuz, Riyadh has grown increasingly dependent on the Bab el-Mandeb corridor for its oil shipments.
Even as India has ramped up imports of Russian crude, Saudi Arabia continues to rank among New Delhi’s top three sources of energy, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Escalation Revives Yemen War Fears
Clashes between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-aligned forces in Yemen have intensified sharply, marking the gravest flare-up since a UN-mediated truce paused large-scale combat in 2022 following eight years of war.
The Houthis have zeroed in on the Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow choke point linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. In July, they declared a blockade on Saudi vessels and have since advanced toward government positions near the strait.
Iran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz has pushed Saudi Arabia to channel more of its crude exports via the Red Sea route. Data shows that from March to July, Saudi crude shipments through the Bab el-Mandeb were eight times the volume recorded in the same months of 2025.
Pakistan and Türkiye have also denounced the Houthi strikes; both countries recently inked the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement with Riyadh.