Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran, Hezbollah of aiding Yemen rebel strikes

The Saudi-led coalition accuses Iran and Hezbollah of helping Yemen’s Houthi rebels to launch missiles and drones at the kingdom, where two people were killed.

Since the coalition intervened almost seven years ago to support Yemen’s government, Saudi Arabia has regularly accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with sophisticated weapons and Hezbollah of training the insurgents.

Tehran denies the charges. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Shi’ite militant movement Hezbollah has previously denied sending fighters or weapons to Yemen.

The latest Saudi accusation comes as the coalition intensifies an aerial bombing campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis, in retaliation for deadly attacks on the kingdom.

Coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki tells a news conference the Houthis are “militarizing” Sanaa airport and using it as a “main center for launching ballistic missiles and drones” towards the kingdom.

Malki shows reporters a video clip which he says depicts “the headquarters of Iranian and Hezbollah experts at the airport,” where, he alleges, “Hezbollah is training the Houthis to boobytrap and use drones.”

The footage could not be independently verified.