Iran has dismissed allegations that it provided missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen, after a ballistic missile fired from Yemen came close to the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday.
The missile was intercepted by the Saudi military over the international airport, an action the Saudi-led coalition called “a clear act of aggression” by Iran. The attack prompted the temporary closure of all Yemen’s ground, air and seaports.
“The claim that the missile was delivered to Yemen by Iran is baseless,” Major General Jafari told reporters on Sunday, as quoted in semi-official Tasnim News Agency.
“These missiles have been manufactured by the Yemenis and their military industries,” he said.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they launched a Burqan 2H long-range missile at the Saudi airport.
Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies accuse Iran of providing material support to the Houthi rebels.
“Iran’s role and its direct command of its Houthi proxy in this matter constitutes a clear act of aggression that targets neighboring countries, and threatens peace and security in the region and globally” read a statement provided by the Saudi-led coalition on Monday.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said the incident “could rise to be considered an act of war” by Iran, the statement said. “The Coalition Command also affirms that the Kingdom reserves its right to respond to Iran in the appropriate time and manner,” the statement also said.
Several hours after the attack on the airport in Riyadh, the Saudi-led coalition sent a barrage of missile strikes into the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. It was the first attack at night on Sanaa in recent weeks.
Saudi Arabia has been fighting a proxy war in Yemen against Iran, which it accuses of arming the Houthi rebels.
