Yemen vows retaliation against Saudi strikes on civilian infrastructure

Yemen's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Sunday that continued attacks on the country's civilian infrastructure would not go unpunished and would draw what it described as painful responses reaching deep into Saudi Arabia, according to Mehr News.

The ministry said the Yemeni nation is facing what it called a fateful struggle and a war of aggression imposed on it, and stated that Saudi Arabia, as the aggressor, does not respect international principles or humanitarian law. It described the rights and demands of the Yemeni people as legitimate and said they are not open to negotiation or bargaining.

The statement warned that the continued targeting of Yemeni civilian facilities would place all vital and critical installations inside Saudi Arabia in what it termed a databank of targets that the Yemeni Armed Forces would strike in retaliation. It specifically referred to installations belonging to parties it said are funding the aggression.

The statement did not specify which sites or facilities had most recently been hit, nor did it give details of any planned action. It also did not provide a timeline for a response.

The remarks come amid ongoing hostilities between Yemen and the Saudi-led coalition, which has conducted airstrikes on Yemeni territory for years. The conflict has repeatedly affected civilian infrastructure, including energy and other installations, and both sides have issued warnings of further escalation.

According to Mehr News, the Yemeni foreign ministry's statement stressed that the country's demands are non-negotiable and warned that attacks on civilian facilities would be met with retaliation against vital targets inside Saudi Arabia.