By Ahmed J Versi and Middle East Correspondent
London, (The Muslim News): The UK government has declined to condemn Saudi Arabia’s bombing of Sana’a airport or say whether the Prime Minister supports the strike, while reiterating its commitment to defending the kingdom against attacks by Yemen’s Ansar Allah [Houthi] movement.
Asked at Monday’s Downing Street lobby briefing whether the Prime Minister condemned the initial Saudi strike on the Yemeni capital’s airport, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson reiterated the government’s condemnation of Ansar Allah retaliatory attacks on Saudi Arabia.
“Our position, as I’ve just set out, is that we strongly condemn Houthi attacks and we remain committed to supporting the security of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the spokesperson told The Muslim News.
When asked whether the Prime Minister supported Saudi Arabia’s initial attack, the spokesperson again declined to address the strike directly, repeating the government’s position on Ansar Allah attacks and saying they did not want to discuss operational decisions.
Downing Street did not clarify whether it considered the strike justified or lawful.
The exchange came amid a wider escalation of attacks involving Saudi Arabia and the Ansar Allah, including attacks on Saudi airport infrastructure and Saudi strikes in Yemen.
The United Nations has called on all parties to halt attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh would remain suspended until 9pm GMT on 17 October while authorities assessed the safety and operational readiness of its facilities.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the closure affects nearly 700 flights a day. Gulf Air has also cancelled flights to and from Riyadh until 17 October.
Saudi authorities said an Ansar Allah attack on a passenger terminal at the airport on Saturday killed 13 people and injured 309. They reported a further projectile strike on Terminal 4 on Sunday, which killed a Pakistani resident and injured 11 others. The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile near the airport.
The coalition accused the Ansar Allah of carrying out Saturday’s attack, describing it as a “full-fledged war crime”.
The latest escalation has also included Saudi strikes in Yemen, among them an attack on Sana’a airport. The circumstances and sequence of the military operations require independent verification.
When asked directly about the Saudi strike, Downing Street declined to say whether the Prime Minister condemned it or supported the action.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the continuing Houthi attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure and airports on Monday.
“Attacks on civilians, attacks on civilian infrastructure, are a violation of international law, and they must stop,” his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said.
Guterres also urged all parties to exercise restraint, respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The UK government confirmed that British aircraft continued to carry out “defensive missions” in the region and that British air-defence equipment had been deployed to help Saudi Arabia protect itself.
Asked whether Britain would provide additional military assistance if the conflict escalated, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said the government remained in close contact with Saudi partners but would not comment on operational discussions.
The government added that the military assets it had publicly confirmed were already deployed. British consular teams were also working to assist nationals affected by the attacks, while travel advice remained under review.
UK condemns US sanctions against ICC
At the same briefing, Downing Street reiterated the UK’s opposition to US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its personnel, saying the court must be allowed to continue its work without interference.
“The UK stands with the International Criminal Court, and we stand united with our partners in strongly disagreeing with sanctions imposed on the court,” the spokesperson told The Muslim News.
“The ICC must be permitted to continue its critical work holding perpetrators of the most horrific international crimes to account.”
The statement followed a joint declaration by the UK and seven other countries — Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands — reaffirming their support for the court’s independence and opposing the US measures.
Washington has imposed sanctions on ICC officials amid its opposition to the court’s investigations and proceedings, including those concerning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, which established the court.
The UK spokesperson announced no new measures in response to the sanctions but reaffirmed Britain’s support for the ICC and its work holding individuals accountable for serious international crimes.
[An infographic titled “Clashes between Yemeni government forces and Houthis” created in Ankara, Turkiye on October 7, 2026.
Photojournalist: Murat Usubali/AA]
