Europe at risk of being pulled into Middle East war - Bild
Photo: Europe is planned to be involved in the war against the Houthis (Getty Images)
Saudi Arabia is preparing for a new military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis and is counting on the involvement of European countries, according to Bild.
As journalists learned, Riyadh expects military assistance from France and the UK. Moreover, former head of Saudi intelligence Turki bin Faisal Al Saud has called on Germany to also join the fight against the Houthis.
He stated that European states have their own interest in regional stability, as they benefit from its natural resources and trade routes.
"Those who benefit from the region's raw materials must contribute to peace and security," Turki stated.
A few months ago, Saudi Arabia proposed creating a system of military protection and monitoring for the Arabian Peninsula and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, according to Turki, no European state joined this initiative at that time.
He noted that Europe is directly interested in the security of this route. Ships passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait head to the Suez Canal and then to European countries.
At the same time, Saudi Arabia is already receiving support from a number of states in its confrontation with the Houthis. According to Turki, France is participating in relevant measures, while the UK assists with aerial refueling. Egypt, Pakistan, and Türkiye are also providing support, including supplies, ammunition, and intelligence data.
The Saudi representative emphasized that ensuring the security of international trade routes should not be the sole responsibility of the US.
"The whole world should participate in this," he stated.
A meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union is scheduled in Riyadh in November. Turki hopes that the parties will finally be able to conclude a trade agreement, negotiations for which have been ongoing for about 30 years.
According to him, such an agreement could be the first step toward expanding cooperation between the parties in the field of security.
Iran is already actively preparing for the resumption of strikes from the US.
Furthermore, we wrote about why Secretary of State Marco Rubio expelled the Iranian delegation after negotiations.
