UAE calls for stronger Gulf defence as allies back Saudi Arabia after Riyadh airport attacks

A senior UAE official called for stronger Gulf security and defence cooperation on Monday as regional governments backed Saudi Arabia following Houthi missile attacks that killed 14 people at Riyadh’s international airport over the weekend. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said attacks on Saudi Arabia undermined the security of the Emirates and every other Gulf state. Writing on X, he warned that “we are all targeted” and said failures in collective defence had encouraged attacks on the region. “Gulf security is a shared responsibility that allows no room for complacency or delay,” he said. Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.