UAE expresses concern over repeated assaults by Houthis on ships in international waters.

​The United Arab Emirates has expressed its deepest condemnation and concern over the repeated assaults by the Houthis on ships in international waters in an apparent attempt to target the freedom of navigation and to inflame the situation in the region, particularly in Yemen.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said, "Targeting of the US Navy destroyer USS Mason is a recurring escalation which began with the attack on the UAE civilian ship, 'Swift'."

The ministry, in its statement, described the response of the US Navy this morning, in targeting the Houthi radar sites, as a legitimate response to repeated and unprovoked attacks backed by rebel forces.

The statement stressed that this escalation by the rebels and followers of Saleh reveals their true faces and their intentions to escape from their political process commitment towards ending the Yemeni crisis. This escalation confirms their insistence on the use of violence and causing the continuing suffering of the brotherly people of Yemen, and represents an escalation driven by regional powers that do not want to achieve the region's security and stability.

The ministry warned that these serious developments threaten international navigation by targeting vessels crossing the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, and stressed the need to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of international navigation, which represents the lifeblood of communication between nations and peoples.

The ministry ended the statement by stressing the urgent need to push for a political solution backed by the United Nations, which, in turn, will restore Yemen's security and stability.