International reactions to the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen were mixed. Most other Arab League nations and several Western governments backed the Saudi Arabia-led military coalition, but other governments warned against an escalation in the violent situation in Yemen.
Political responses and commentary
Supranational – Delegates to the Arab League voted to study the formation of a joint military force on 29 March 2015, days after the intervention in Yemen began. Secretary-General Naril Elaraby affirmed that the intervention would "continue until Houthi militias withdraw and submit their weapons" and asserted that the international operation was necessary. – The European Union criticized the military intervention. It suggested that military intervention would not solve the crisis and expressed concern about the "serious regional repercussions" after the Saudi military intervention in Yemen, describing that this move is not a solution, and urging regional powers to "act responsibly". The European Union reiterates its support for all efforts by the United Nations. (OIC) – Iyad Ameen Madani, secretary-general of the OIC, criticised the Houthis and said military action was made inevitable by their actions. He said he hoped the intervention would restore stability to Yemen. – Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that Yemen appeared to be verging on "total collapse". He expressed concern about civilian casualties, including those apparently caused by a Saudi airstrike on a camp for displaced persons in northern Yemen. Russia called an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council for 4 April 2015 to discuss calling for "humanitarian pauses" in the airstrikes. A leaked UN report of January 2016 found that the Saudi coalition had conducted airstrikes that had targeted civilians, including camps for internally displaced people, weddings, schools, religious centers, hospitals, vehicles, and markets. Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, the UN's Commissioner for Human Rights, told the UN Security Council that the Saudi coalition is responsible for a "disproportionate number" of attacks on civilian areas. UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Johannes van der Klaauw, said Saudi-led air strikes violate international law.
National – The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government announced its support for the military intervention by Saudi Arabia in Yemen. – Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, Ramtane Lamamra, expressed "very great and deep concern" about the events in Yemen and said the "escalation of violence" would only make the situation worse. Lamamra reportedly presented a ceasefire initiative at an Arab League summit in Egypt calling for the Houthis to withdraw from Sanaa and the Yemeni House of Representatives to resume meeting in exchange for an end to the bombing campaign and security guarantees for the Houthis and their allies. – On April 14, 2015, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop, said she shared the view of U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, in calling for a ceasefire. She believes all parties involved in the conflict in Yemen should go back to the negotiating table. – The foreign ministry said in a statement that Bangladesh deplored acts of violence perpetrated by Houthis on the people of Yemen "resulting in humanitarian crisis." "Bangladesh supports all efforts led by Saudi Arabia in restoring the legitimate state authority and realisation of aspirations of the people of Yemen, as well as upholding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yemen," it said. Bangladesh also urged for resumption of political process guided by the commitments made by the parties within the Gulf Cooperation Council Framework, the National Dialogue Conference outcomes and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. – On 27 March 2015, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister, Rob Nicholson, issued a statement on the situation in Yemen, saying "Canada supports the military action by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Cooperation Council partners and others to defend Saudi Arabia's border and to protect Yemen's recognized government at the request of the Yemeni president." – The Chinese government expressed deep concern over the situation in Yemen. It urged all parties to resolve the dispute through dialogue. – Djibouti supports foreign military intervention in Yemen and is prepared to help evacuate its nationals if the security situation there deteriorates, said Foreign Minister Mahamoud Ali Youssouf. Youssouf warned on 2 April 2015 that the Houthis had installed heavy weapons on islands in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, and he urged coalition forces to remove them, saying they endangered Djibouti and international shipping. – In a statement, the Eritrean Foreign Ministry said it viewed the Yemeni crisis "as an internal matter". Eritrea denied allegations that it provided support to the Houthis. In late April, Eritrean President, Isaias Afwerki, visited Saudi Arabia for talks on bilateral relations and the situation in Yemen. The two countries reportedly reached a security and martial accord centered on counter-terrorism, illicit trade and maritime security in the Red Sea area, as well as averting "foreign interference" in Yemen's internal affairs. – Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, said his country stands with Sudan, a neighbour and member of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. He said the intervention was justified to protect the Yemeni government and defeat the Houthis. – According to the Saudi newspaper, Arab News, the French Embassy in Riyadh released a statement reiterating its support of Hadi's government and concluding, "France stands by its partners in the region to restore stability and unity of Yemen." French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, expressed his political support for the Saudi-led intervention during an official visit to Riyadh. In May 2019, however, French minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, urged Saudi Arabia and UAE to stop the "dirty war" in Yemen. – Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, said he "can understand" Saudi Arabia's decision to mount a military intervention, and acknowledged the operation had "support from the region" and was carried out at Yemeni President, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi's, request. However, he said the crisis could not be solved by violence and urged a negotiated solution. On 2 December 2015, the Federal Intelligence Service (the BND) warned that Saudi Arabia was at risk of becoming "a major destabilising influence in the Arab world", adding that Saudi Arabia's intervention in Yemen was driven by a desire to show that the country was "willing to take military, financial and political risks in order not to fall behind in regional politics". – Religious Affairs Minister, Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, expressed concerns over the military intervention and hoped that it would end soon and wouldn't worsen. – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the military intervention a "dangerous development which will destabilize a region", and the Foreign Ministry demanded an immediate halt on all "military aggressions" in Yemen. Iran described and warned that Riyadh was taking a 'dangerous step', making clear that the Saudi deployment of a Sunni coalition against Shi'ite enemies would complicate efforts to end a conflict, and that it was likely to inflame the sectarian animosities fueling wars around the Middle East. A senior official said military intervention in Yemen is not an option for Tehran. "We demand an immediate stop to the Saudi military operations in Yemen," Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language al-Alam news network, according to Press TV. According to Iran's official news agency, Iran's deputy foreign minister has asked the United Nations Secretary General to do everything possible to halt Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen immediately. Supreme leader Ali Khamenei denounced the Saudi bombings, calling them acts of genocide. He went on to say that Saudi Arabia "will not emerge victorious in its aggression." Khamenei also compared Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen to Israel's military operation in Gaza last summer. – Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari expressed the Iraqi government's opposition to the intervention at an Arab League summit on 26 March 2015. – On 29 March 2015, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, criticized Iran's purported support for the Houthis, saying "the Iran-Lausanne-Yemen axis is very dangerous for humanity and needs to be stopped," in a reference to ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1. – Lebanese Prime Minister, Tammam Salam's, reaction to the intervention was described by Beirut-based newspaper The Daily Star as "ambiguous". Salam said at an Arab League summit on 28 March 2015 that Lebanon backs "any Arab stance that preserves Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity in addition to the cohesion of its social fabric". He also asked the Arab League not to involve Lebanon in any "regional struggles", an apparent reference to the conflict. Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of the Lebanese Hezbollah, in a 27 March 2015 speech strongly censured Saudi Arabia for its "aggression" against Yemen. He claimed that Saudis decided to invade Yemen because they realized they were losing their influence and control over the country. He praised Iran for "respecting the will of the regions people" and "sympathizing with their causes." He further accused Saudi Arabia of betraying the struggle against Israel as the main Arab cause. Nasrallah said Hezbollah would have joined the fight if it were against Israel, rather than Arabs. Saad Hariri, former Prime Minister of Lebanon, praised Saudi King Salman for what he described as his "wise and brave" decision for military operation against the Houthi rebels. He blamed Iran's intervention in regional conflicts for the current turmoil in the region and supported Saudi Arabia for uniting the Arabs by the action it is carrying out in Yemen. – Internationally recognised Libyan Prime Minister, Abdullah al-Thani, compared the conflict in Yemen to the fractious political situation in his country, and said "it is impossible to support legitimacy in Yemen and not do the same thing in Libya". – Malaysia's Minister of Defence, Hishammuddin Hussein, has affirmed his country's support to Yemen's government and Saudi Arabia's measures to protect its security and sovereignty. – New Zealand's Deputy-Foreign Minister, Bead Curry, supported Iran's plan for sending humanitarian aid, promoting cessation of hostilities, and national dialogue and unity government in the country on April 14, 2015. – Despite being a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Oman has decided not to join the coalition, but is providing humanitarian aid to Yemenis. The Omani government has said that it had helped "nationals from 48 countries" leave Yemen and return to their home countries, and that it had taken in 2,695 refugees from Yemen as of mid-April 2015. – After Saudi disclosures about Pakistan's participation, it was reported that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had re-affirmed that any risk to Saudi Arabia's territorial integrity would evoke a strong response from Pakistan, but that Pakistan is not directly participating in the military intervention. The Pakistani Parliament voted to adopt a policy of neutrality toward the conflict in Yemen, rebuffing a direct request from Saudi Arabia to commit troops and aircraft to the operation. However, on 17 April 2–15, Sharif said Pakistan would dispatch warships to enforce the arms embargo against the Houthis in support of the Saudi-led coalition.