Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday discussed recent Houthi attacks on the kingdom in a phone call.

Motegi said attacks on civilians and civilian facilities "can never be tolerated" and voiced "strong" denouncement of the Houthi attacks, according to a Foreign Ministry statement. He said Japan urged the Houthis to "stop escalating the situation" and "directly called on Iran to urge" the group to "exercise restraint." Motegi also requested Saudi Arabia's cooperation in ensuring the safety of Japanese nationals in the country.

He said stability and peace in Yemen could "only be achieved through a political solution," and that Japan would continue diplomatic efforts to "ensure" that the Houthis return to the UN-led political process as soon as possible. Japan would also work with the international community, including Saudi Arabia, to restore stability in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, he said.

On Iran, Japan will continue to work with relevant countries to foster an environment conducive to achieving a diplomatic solution, Motegi said.

Motegi also outlined Japan's plans for comprehensive cooperation to strengthen the economic and energy resilience of Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The two agreed to continue working closely toward "ensuring medium- to long-term peace and stability in the Middle East as a whole." Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid international airport over the weekend killed 14 people and wounded more than 300 others. Houthi attacks have also been reported on other airports, and on energy facilities.

Houthis seized Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, and a Saudi-led coalition had been fighting them since 2015 until a ceasefire was agreed in 2022. That ceasefire has broken down this July.