Tehran denies involvement in Houthi operations as Saudi Arabia reports intercepting missiles and drones, while fresh strikes hit Yemen’s interim capital, Aden.
TEHRAN, IRAN — WEB DESK: Iran has rejected Saudi Arabia’s accusation that it encouraged a recent escalation in Houthi attacks against the kingdom, insisting that Yemen’s Houthi movement acts according to its own interests and assessments.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei issued the denial on Friday, October 16, a day after Saudi officials accused Tehran of encouraging the group’s intensified military campaign.
The dispute comes amid renewed fighting in Yemen and repeated attacks targeting Saudi infrastructure, including oil facilities, aviation hubs and commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea.
The Saudi-led military coalition said it had intercepted several missiles and drones on Friday, while authorities in Yemen’s interim capital, Aden, reported that two missiles landed within the perimeter of the city’s airport.
Iran Denies Involvement in Houthi Operations
Baqaei rejected claims that Iran had played a role in the latest Houthi operations against Saudi Arabia.
He said the group made its own decisions and reiterated Tehran’s position that escalating regional tensions would not serve the interests of the parties involved.
Iran also renewed its offer to help mediate between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, presenting diplomatic engagement as a possible route toward ending the hostilities.
Saudi Arabia has accused Tehran of providing the Houthis with weapons, training and other support. Iran has repeatedly rejected allegations of direct involvement in the group’s military operations.
The competing statements reflect a longstanding disagreement over the extent of Iran’s relationship with the Yemeni movement. The latest exchange does not independently establish the degree of Iranian involvement in specific attacks.
Saudi Arabia Reports Missile and Drone Interceptions
The Saudi-led coalition said its forces intercepted and destroyed three drones in southern Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh area, along with two cruise missiles over the Red Sea.
The coalition also reported intercepting a ballistic missile over Yanbu, a Red Sea city that hosts infrastructure associated with Saudi Arabia’s oil export network.
The reported interceptions came as the kingdom faced continued pressure from Houthi attacks on strategic sites and maritime routes.
Saudi officials have expressed concern about the threat to oil infrastructure, commercial aviation and shipping. Disruptions in these areas could have consequences beyond the immediate conflict because the Red Sea and the nearby Bab el-Mandeb Strait are important routes for international trade.
The coalition’s interception claims were reported by Reuters. Independent confirmation of each incident was not established in the available reporting.
Missiles Strike Aden Airport Perimeter
Separately, two missiles landed within the perimeter of Aden airport on Friday, according to the local security office.
No casualties were reported in that incident.
The attack followed a missile strike on the Al-Maashiq presidential palace complex in Aden on Thursday. Yemen’s health minister said that strike killed five people and injured 16 others.
The Houthi movement said the palace attack targeted a military operations headquarters associated with Saudi forces. Yemeni government officials condemned the strike and accused the group of escalating the conflict.
The reported attacks underline the widening geographical reach of the renewed fighting, which has affected both Saudi territory and areas held by Yemen’s internationally recognised government.
UN Security Council Condemns Houthi Attacks
The United Nations Security Council condemned continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The council also criticised attacks on Riyadh’s airport, according to Reuters’ report.
The maritime threat is particularly significant because the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms part of a major route linking Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal.
Any sustained disruption could increase shipping costs, delay cargo deliveries and add pressure to energy markets already affected by wider regional hostilities.
Renewed Fighting Complicates Yemen’s Conflict
Yemen’s civil war has entered another phase of intensified fighting, with Houthi forces making territorial gains and government forces launching counteroffensives backed by Saudi air support.
The Houthis have advanced along parts of the Red Sea coast, where control of territory and transport routes carries both military and economic significance.
Saudi Arabia has supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government for more than a decade. The renewed clashes have complicated efforts to contain the conflict and restore a political process.
The latest confrontation also comes amid wider Middle East tensions and concerns about the security of energy supplies and international shipping.
