White House blames Iran for missile attack on Saudis

Source: Politico




By LOUIS NELSON 11/08/2017 07:09 AM EST

The White House on Wednesday condemned attempted missile attacks launched against Saudi Arabia by Yemeni rebels, blaming the Iranian government for arming the rebels with such weapons systems.

“We condemn the Iranian regime's activities and stand with Saudi Arabia and all our Gulf partners against the Iranian regime's aggression and blatant violations of international law,” the White House said in a statement released early Wednesday morning. “These missile systems were not present in Yemen before the conflict, and we call upon the United Nations to conduct a thorough examination of evidence that the Iranian regime is perpetuating the war in Yemen to advance its regional ambitions.”

Saudi air defenses shot down a ballistic missile fired from Yemen on Saturday, according to a Reuters report, bringing down the missile near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. The missile was thought to have been launched by Houthi militias in Yemen, where the Saudi military has conducted airstrikes against the rebel group.

The Iranian government has denied responsibility for the missile launch, Reuters reported, and Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, said the attempted attack was a response to Saudi aggression.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/08/houthi-attack-saudi-arabia-white-house-response-244683