At least 19 dead as saudi diplomat accuses iran of encouraging houthi escalation in attacks across kingdom

Attacks hit key Saudi sites

Krimly spoke to journalists in Cairo on Thursday after more than a week of Houthi attacks. Targets included Riyadh’s international airport, Aramco headquarters and other aviation, oil and military facilities.

He described the attacks as war crimes and said they had killed at least 19 people, including foreigners. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition said King Khalid International Airport had been targeted 20 times this month.

Riyadh alleges Iranian support

Krimly said Saudi Arabia believes Iran is encouraging the latest Houthi escalation. He also accused Tehran of arming, training and supporting the group in breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions and commitments under the Beijing agreement, which restored Saudi-Iranian diplomatic ties.

Saudi Arabia had proposed a meeting with the Houthis in Oman in July to address outstanding disputes, Krimly said, but the rebels declined. Days later, the Houthis seized territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait; the Saudi-led coalition later began an offensive to retake the area.

Communication continues despite tensions

Krimly said Saudi Arabia maintains direct communication with the Houthis, with Oman facilitating talks rather than mediating them. He also said Riyadh continues to communicate with Tehran, including a phone call between the countries’ foreign ministers during the recent attacks on the Riyadh airport.

Wider negotiations remain difficult

Saudi Arabia supports mediation by Qatar and Pakistan between Washington and Tehran, Krimly said. He identified safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, as one subject under discussion.

Another is how negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program would proceed. Krimly said Iran takes a long time to respond to mediators and that its proposals have been insufficient; he also alleged that China and Russia support Iran and the Houthis, offering few details.