A military spokesman for the Saudi-led “Operation Decisive Storm” said on Tuesday that Iran and Hezbollah have trained Houthi militias to “harm Yemenis,” Al Arabiya reported.
“We have evidence that Iran trained Houthi militias on operating fighter jets,” Saudi Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri told reporters.
Asiri said there was “no way for militias to acquire fighter jets,” referring to Iran’s support for the Houthis rebels.
Mr Asiri’s comments follows Monday’s remarks by Saudi ambassador to the United States Adel al-Jubeir who said Washington and Riyadh are in agreement over the support Iran is providing the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
“Iran provides financial support for the Houthis and helps them in building weapon factories and providing them with weapons. In addition that there are Iranians working alongside the Houthis,” al-Jubeir told U.S. and Arab reporters in a gathering in Washington, reported state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
“When I talk with U.S. officials, they know that this is what the Iranians do with the Houthis,” he said.
“There is no difference between us and the United States of America when the matter relates to Iran’s support for the Houthi,” the diplomat said, highlighting reports of the U.S. interception of an Iranian cargo ship loaded with weapons and missiles destined for Yemen’s Houthis.
“We do not want the error of Hezbollah in Lebanon to be repeated with the Houthi in Yemen.
“The support that we find from our coalition partners or allies around the world, whether France or Britain or the United States of America remains strong and grows strongly.”
Meanwhile in Saudi capital, a senior U.S. official told reporters on Tuesday that the U.S. has stepped up weapons deliveries in support of the operation by Saudi-led coalition in Yemen
“Saudi Arabia is sending a strong message to the Houthis and their allies that they cannot overrun Yemen by force,” Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after the talks with Saudi officials.
“In support of that effort we have expedited weapons deliveries,” he said.
“We’ve increased our intelligence sharing, and we’ve established a joint coordination planning cell in the Saudi operations center.”
