Iran Denies Saudi Accusation Over Houthi Attacks as Airport Disruption Continues

Iran rejected Saudi accusations over Houthi attacks on 16 October, after a Saudi Foreign Ministry official publicly accused Tehran of encouraging the escalation against the kingdom.

Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for public diplomacy, made the accusation during a virtual briefing on 14 October, according to an RFE/RL dispatch published the following day. He said Iran continued to arm, train and support the Houthi terrorists while Riyadh maintained direct contact with Tehran.

Tehran rejects the accusation

Krimly said Saudi Arabia believed Iran was encouraging the latest attacks, and accused Tehran of providing support in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. His comments concerned both the broader support relationship and the present escalation.

In a statement carried by AFP and published by The Times of Israel on 16 October, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran “rejects any claim that Iran has played a role” in Houthi operations and renewed an offer to mediate.

Israel News Pulse could not independently find public evidence identifying who ordered the particular October attacks. The Saudi allegation and Iranian denial remain attributed to their respective officials.

Attacks disrupt civilian infrastructure

Saudi coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on 14 October that the Houthis had launched 20 attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport that month. The coalition reported 17 deaths and 333 injuries, RFE/RL reported. Those figures describe the coalition’s account at that point in the campaign.

The UN Security Council condemned the strikes on 10 and 11 October against the airport. The Houthis claimed airport attacks in statements carried by Reuters. Saudi officials have also identified energy infrastructure, including Aramco’s headquarters, among the targets.

The US mission’s security alert of 16 October said Saudi aviation authorities had extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid airport through 17 October. That date is the end of the stated suspension window, not a guaranteed reopening. The alert advised travelers to check directly with airlines and airports.

Supply networks documented before this exchange

The US Treasury Department took action on 16 January 2026 against 21 individuals and entities and identified one vessel linked to Houthi financing, weapons procurement and oil shipments. Treasury described financial conduits connecting the Iranian government and the Houthis, as well as front companies and facilitators in Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Treasury said Iran sold oil to the Houthis and also provided a free monthly shipment through Iranian companies or affiliated businesses. Its findings described exchange houses financing weapons purchases and overseas payments for missile components, showing how oil trading and commercial intermediaries supported the group’s military capability.

The current confrontation follows a longer conflict in Yemen. The Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, and a Saudi coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. A UN brokered truce in 2022 brought relative calm before fighting reignited in July 2026, RFE/RL reported.

Diplomatic channels remain open

Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed in Beijing on 10 March 2023 to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies. Their joint statement, also signed by China, affirmed respect for sovereignty and noninterference, and committed the two countries to implementing an earlier security cooperation agreement.

Krimly said direct communication with Iran continued. He also said the Houthis had rejected a Saudi invitation to meet in Muscat several weeks earlier, according to RFE/RL. The diplomatic channel between governments and the proposed talks with the Houthis are separate contacts.

On 16 October, US President Donald Trump said Israel had helped Saudi Arabia against the Houthis and suggested that Saudi normalization with Israel could return to the agenda. His remarks added another diplomatic development to a week dominated by attacks on Saudi infrastructure.