RIYADH – Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused Iran of ordering a drone attackby Yemen’s rebels that knocked out a key oil pipeline earlier this week.
Prince Khalid Bin Salman, the vice minister for defense and brother ofSaudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, said on Twitter that Tuesday’s drone attack,which was claimed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, undermined effortsto heal the divided country.
“The terrorist acts, ordered by the regime in Tehran, and carried out bythe Houthis, are tightening the noose around the ongoing politicalefforts,” Prince Khalid said, without providing evidence. “These militiasare merely a tool that Iran’s regime uses to implement its expansionistagenda in the region.”
Meanwhile, a newspaper close to the palace went further, running aneditorial calling for “surgical” US strikes on Iran in retaliation. Iranhas been accused by the US and the UN of supplying ballistic missiletechnology and arms to the Houthis, which Tehran denies.
The Arab News editorial, published in English, said it’s “clear that (US)sanctions are not sending the right message” and that “they must be hithard,” without elaborating on what specific targets should be struck.
Washington has already deployed warships to the Persian Gulf as well asother military forces, including troops and warplanes to countriesneighbouring Iran.
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US National Security Adviser John Bolton said on May 6 that it was amessage to the Iranian regime that any attack on US interests or its allieswould “be met with unrelenting force.”
The accusations came as Saudi-led forces launched retaliatory airstrikesagainst Houthi positions in the rebel-held capital, Sanaa, killing at leastsix people, including four children. At least 40 other people were wounded,according to Yemen’s Health Ministry.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE entered the Yemen war in 2015 and have longaccused Iran of providing their Houthi foes with support. The Houthiscontrol the capital, Sana’a, and have repeatedly lobbed missiles towardRiyadh.
Despite its military superiority, the Saudi-led coalition has yet to defeatthe Houthis. But the four-year war has killed thousands and left millionsfacing hunger and disease.
