RIYADH/SANA/ISLAMABAD (MNN); Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused Iran of encouraging the Houthis to intensify their attacks against the kingdom, alleging that Tehran continues to arm, train and support the Yemeni group in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Dr Rayed Krimly, deputy minister for public diplomacy at the Saudi foreign ministry, made the allegations during a virtual briefing with reporters, saying Riyadh believed Iran was encouraging the latest escalation.
“We think that the escalation by the Houthis at this latest stage of the conflict is encouraged by Iran,” Krimly said.
He added that Saudi Arabia remained in direct communication with Tehran despite what he described as Iran’s reluctance to make the concessions necessary for a settlement.
“We continue to have direct communications with Iran,” he said, adding that Tehran did not yet appear ready to offer the concessions needed to resolve the conflict.
Krimly also accused the Houthis of refusing a Saudi request to meet in Muscat, Oman, as fighting intensified in recent weeks. He said the invitation had been rejected and that the last communication took place several weeks ago.
The world’s leading crude oil exporter has faced a series of attacks in recent days, including a strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that was described as the deadliest there in years.
Yemen’s civil war reignited in July following the collapse of a United Nations-brokered truce, amid a wider Middle East conflict that has disrupted regional security, energy supplies and markets.
The prolonged conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the United Nations, leaving much of Yemen’s population dependent on humanitarian assistance.
The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and drove the internationally recognised government from the city. The conflict continued until a UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022.
Coalition Says Houthis Targeted Saudi Airports, Ports and Oil Facilities
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis said the group had attempted to attack dozens of Saudi airports, ports and oil facilities.
Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said the Houthis had carried out 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh during the current month, resulting in 17 deaths and 333 injuries.
He also said Houthi attacks on Abha airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, near the Yemeni border, had killed three people and wounded 28.
Al-Maliki accused the Houthis of acquiring advanced military technology with assistance from unidentified regional actors. He said the group possessed ballistic missiles, attack and suicide drones, and fast boats carrying explosives.
The coalition spokesperson further stated that coalition forces had destroyed 127 weapons storage facilities and launch platforms in Yemen’s mountainous areas.
He urged the Houthis to immediately stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, warning the group to study the coalition’s statement carefully.
Following the coalition’s announcement, a Houthi military spokesperson declared Saudi airspace and airports unsafe and renewed warnings to airlines, while excluding the airspace over the holy cities of Makkah and Madina.
Missile Attacks Reported in Aden and Marib
The conflict also intensified inside Yemen, with security sources telling AFP that Houthi missiles targeted the Al-Maashiq presidential palace in Aden, the interim capital and headquarters of the internationally recognised government.
Residents reported hearing explosions, while a journalist saw smoke rising from the palace complex.
Three government military sources told AFP that at least four people were killed and 10 wounded in the attack. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the Houthis had fired five missiles at the complex, adding that the prime minister and cabinet members present there were unharmed.
Separately, forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognised government said the Houthis had fired several ballistic missiles at the densely populated city of Marib, a strategically important area in the country’s oil-rich region.
Global Finance Firms Shift Saudi Staff to Remote Work
Escalating attacks have also prompted international financial institutions to strengthen precautionary measures in Saudi Arabia.
JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank are allowing staff based in the kingdom to work from home following a series of Houthi strikes, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters.
US investment firm Franklin Templeton has temporarily closed its Riyadh office and instructed employees based there to work remotely until further notice. No date has been set for reopening the office or ending the remote-work arrangements.
The measures follow an escalation in attacks over the past week, including a reported strike on the headquarters of oil giant Saudi Aramco on Tuesday and an earlier attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday.
The Saudi-led coalition reiterated that the Houthis had obtained advanced military capabilities with assistance from regional actors, although it did not identify those allegedly involved.
