Tehran rejects the accusation

On Friday, 16 October 2026, Iran denied any role in attacks by Yemen's Houthis on Saudi Arabia, a day after Riyadh accused it of encouraging the group's recent escalation. The accusation came from Rayed Krimly, Saudi deputy minister for public diplomacy, who said on Thursday, 15 October, that Iran was continuing to arm, train and support the Houthis. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei answered in a written statement.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran rejects any claim that Iran has played a role in Yemeni (Houthi) operations.”

Baghaei argued that the Houthis act on their own interests and assessments, and that the Saudi claims lack credibility among those who know Tehran's ties to its partners. He said Iran does not see escalation as serving any party. Tehran repeated its offer to mediate between the two sides, saying it has always been ready to use its good offices to help end the hostilities. Krimly had said the Houthis rejected an offer to meet in Oman at the start of the latest round of fighting.

Strikes on Saudi targets

Since the conflict in Yemen flared again in July 2026, the Houthis have repeatedly struck Saudi targets, including Red Sea tankers, oil facilities and Riyadh's international airport. Their offensive, launched in September, seized strategic government-held territory along the Red Sea coast, which overlooks a major shipping chokepoint. The Riyadh airport has been attacked 20 times since early October. On Saturday, 10 October, an attack on the airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.

On 16 October the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed three drones over the south and Riyadh, along with two cruise missiles over the Red Sea. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki wrote on X that a ballistic missile was also intercepted over Yanbu, a Red Sea city that hosts the terminus of a major oil pipeline. Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi air support, have stepped up a counteroffensive to retake territory held by the Houthis.

Energy and travel

Saudi Arabia is the world's largest crude oil exporter, and its flows were already under pressure. Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the wider Middle East war in February had already rattled global energy markets. The East-West pipeline carries Saudi crude from the eastern fields to Yanbu on the Red Sea, bypassing limits on movement through Hormuz, but it leaves those exports exposed to threats in the Red Sea. Several governments, including Portugal, the United States and Australia, have urged citizens to postpone all planned trips to Saudi Arabia, including religious travel. October usually marks the start of the peak season for pilgrimages to Mecca.

International reaction

The European Union condemned the Houthi escalation and the attacks on Saudi Arabia in conclusions issued at the end of a summit of its 27 leaders. The leaders expressed solidarity with the legitimate governments of Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and said the attacks directly hit civilians and civilian infrastructure. They warned that the situation could deepen the humanitarian crisis in the region and demanded an immediate end to the attacks. The EU specifically urged the Houthis to halt all military action and attacks on civilian ships. The Houthis are described as part of the so-called Axis of Resistance, alongside Hezbollah and Hamas, groups opposed to Israel.