A senior Saudi official opined that “Iran is a threat to the entire region and its aggression can no longer be tolerated”. He also underlined that “nobody is talking about a regime change in Iran. The solution is to have a negotiating table and agree on a better JCPOA, stop of interference into other countries and behaviours towards terrorism”. On Yemen, the senior official stated that “Yemen is of particular importance to us, and Iran’s intervention there is devastating. The only solution in Yemen is political, and the Huthis are the ones who started the war, not us… All Yemenis, including the Huthis, have a role in the future of Yemen”.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif insisted that “Iran does not see any point in the continuation of the war and siege in Yemen, welcomes peaceful solutions and encourages all parties to move forward in this regard and supports initiatives that call for dialogue to restore prosperity to Yemen”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, indicated that “on November 25th, a U.S. warship conducted a flag verification boarding in international waters off the coast of Yemen.  We interdicted a significant hoard of weapons and missile parts, evidently of Iranian origin”. “The vessel reportedly was heading to Yemen to deliver these weapons”, he added, contending that “the weapon components comprise the most sophisticated weapons seized by the U.S. Navy to date during the Yemen conflict”. Hook went on to argue that “this discovery is yet more proof of Iran’s efforts to inflame conflicts in the region by proliferating deadly weapons to its proxies. It is also further evidence of how Iran repeatedly violates the UN arms embargo”. Hook additionally stressed that “the Huthis’ de-escalation proposal, which the Saudis are responding to, shows that Iran clearly does not speak for the Huthis, nor have the best interests of the Yemeni people at heart. Iran is trying to prolong Yemen’s civil war to project power. Iran should follow the calls of its own people and end its involvement in Yemen”. He also announced a reward for information relating to “a Yemen-based high-ranking commander of the IRGC’s Qods force”.

Speaking alongside U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “we have been fortunate that President Trump has led a consistent policy of pressure against Iran. Iran is increasing its aggression as we speak even today in the region. They’re trying to have staging grounds against us and the region from Iran itself, from Iraq, from Syria, from Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen, and we are actively engaged in countering that aggression”. Netanyahu further maintained that “Iran’s aggression is growing, but its empire is tottering. And I say let’s make it totter even further”. Secretary Pompeo, citing unrest in Iraq, Lebanon and Iran, stated that “some of these are people that are seeking freedom and a reasonable way to live, and they recognise the threat that is posed by the kleptocrats that are running the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Meeting with the Omani foreign minister in Tehran, President Rouhani contended that “unfortunately, Europe and the U.S., despite what they say, are not interested in [the] establishment of peace in Yemen because they have been able to sell a great number of weapons”. He further asserted that "we should all attempt to put an end to the war in Yemen as soon as possible and establish stability and security in the country within the framework of Yemeni-Yemeni peace talks”.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Shamkhani, remarked that “continuation of this genocide [in Yemen] is only in favor of the enemies of the region, including the U.S. and the Israeli regime, and Saudi Arabia should surrender to the demand of the Yemeni nation and not to put the regional peace at further risk”.

128 Huthi prisoners freed by the Saudi-led coalition arrived in Yemen, prompting a senior Huthi official to call it “a first practical step by the Saudis that builds trust”.

The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson indicated that the coalition had “decided… to release 200 prisoners of the Huthi militia”. A senior Huthi official subsequently reacted by saying that “we welcome the news of the release of 200 captives by the American-Saudi-UAE coalition and its allies and we call for a halt to torture and employing coercive measures against the captives”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “Iran’s aggression in our region, and against us, continues. We are taking all necessary actions to prevent Iran from entrenching here in our region. This includes the activity necessary to thwart the transfer of lethal weaponry from Iran to Syria, whether by air or overland”. “We will also take action to thwart Iran's effort to turn Iraq and Yemen into bases for launching rockets and missiles against the State of Israel”, he added. Citing remarks by a senior U.S. defence official who had indicated that “it is very possible they [the Iranians] will attack again”, Netanyahu stated that “I can confirm that and I can also confirm to you that we are continuing our plans to thwart this aggression by various means”.

Discussing the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie stressed that “Iran has been hindering freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz over the past few months… Had Iran not undertaken those actions, had there been no threat to freedom of navigation, there might not have been a need for the IMSC”. “Since it has been operational”, McKenzie observed, “none of these actions have occurred”. He also remarked that “unfortunately, sometimes, the Iranian regime has proved itself to be the bully in the neighbourhood. The only way to stand up to a bully is to do it together”. McKenzie also opined that while Iran “may control the next step on the escalation ladder... I do not believe that even Iran conceives that they own the last step on the escalation ladder. And that is point that we should hold”.

Discussing the 14 September attacks on Saudi oil facilities, a senior Saudi official indicated that “the results of the investigation will be revealed. What is absolutely clear is that these missiles and drones are Iranian-made, and the attack occurred from the north, not from the south. We hold Iran responsible for this. We expect the international community to take steps in order to extract the price from Iran”. He additionally posited that “the idea that perhaps engagement will cause the Iranians to change their behaviour has not worked in 40 years… The key to regional stability is deterrence”. “If Iran chooses to continue along its destructive path, sanctions should be increased, not reduced”, the official added. He also identified three principles by which Iran could, in his words, “become an accepted member of the international community”, namely: “abandon the principle of exporting the revolution, accept the sovereignty of nations and respect international law and the principle of non-interference in the affairs of other countries”.

Iran’s naval chief indicated that “due to the current special security conditions in the Red Sea region, and insecurities caused by terrorist activities that threaten our shipping lines, the Iranian Navy has been giving serious attention to this region as an insecure body of water”. He also tallied that “we have so far dispatched 64 fleets to international waters to defend the country’s interests”.  

A Huthi military spokesperson was cited as asserting that “Yemeni army troops and allied fighters… are fully prepared to deliver a befitting response to the Tel Aviv regime [ie, Israel] in case the Israeli military launches an act of aggression”.

King Salman expressed hope that the Riyadh Agreement would “open the door before broader understandings to reach a political solution to the crisis according to the three references and give room to the dear Yemeni people to foresee a future of security, stability and development”.

Receiving the credentials of Yemeni Ansar Allah’s ambassador to Iran, President Rouhani commented that “today, aggressors and the Yemeni nation’s enemies have reached the conclusion that they cannot advance their goals by pressure and war, and this means that the Yemeni nation’s resistance has borne fruit”. “Iran”, he added, “believes in the righteousness of the people of Yemen and their revolution, and considers helping them in both fighting aggressors and negotiations as its religious duty”.

The Huthis detained, and subsequently released, three vessels. Two of the ships were South Korean; the other was a Saudi tug.

The Huthi leader, Abd-al-Malik al-Huthi contended that “our people will not hesitate to declare jihad against the Israeli enemy, and to launch the most severe strikes against sensitive targets in the occupied territories if the enemy engages in any folly against our people”. He further maintained that “we reaffirm our anti-Israel position and that the regime is occupying one. This is a principled humanitarian, moral and religious commitment”.

The U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct inaugurated the Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel headquarters in Bahrain. A senior U.S. naval official characterised the operation as “an important multinational maritime effort to increase surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation in light of recent events in the Arabian Gulf”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently contended that “history shows that the American coalitions have been nothing but misnomers, which have not only not created security so far, but have resulted in further insecurity and instability in different parts of the world… the U.S. move to hide its objectives and dreams behind the names of a few other countries signifies the weakness and lack of international legitimacy”. “As the country with the longest coastline by the Persian Gulf”, he added, “the Islamic Republic of Iran will vigorously keep protecting its economic and security interests, including the navigation security and safety in the body of water”.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin contended that “Iran continues to spread terror throughout the region. It continues to build military bases and plan attacks from Syria, and other parts of the region, Lebanon and even Yemen”. “Our enemies”, he added, “must know the state of Israel will do everything needed to defend its citizens”. 

Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the secessionist Southern Transitional Council signed the Riyadh Agreement. The U.S. hailed the accord, stating that “we are hopeful that with this agreement, the parties will work together to end the conflict and to achieve the peace and stability that Yemen’s people deserve”; Secretary of State Pompeo thanked Saudi Arabia for its role and in a meeting with a senior Saudi official also talked about “the need to continue countering the Iranian regime’s destabilising behaviour”. Referring to the Riyadh Agreement, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson contended that “signing such documents will by no means help settle the problems or Yemen, and it will contribute to stabilisation of occupation of southern Yemen by Saudi Arabia and its allies, directly or through their proxy forces”. He added that “the next step is holding Yemeni-Yemeni talks”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, emphasised that “[Iran] would like to turn the Huthis into their proxy right on Saudi’s southern border so that they’re able to attack at will through the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE”. Referring to the 14 September attacks against Saudi energy facilities, Hook stated that “it was a mistake for the Huthis [to claim credit]. I think they recognised it. They were embarrassed by it. They were surprised by it. So we’ll use this opening to press our advantage. And that’s why I think we’re seeing some positive developments in Yemen”. 

A Huthi military spokesperson claimed that the Huthis had shot down a U.S. drone in Asir province.

The U.S. State Department in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2018 found that “throughout 2018, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), ISIS-Yemen, Hizbollah, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and other Iran-backed terrorist groups continued to exploit the political and security vacuum created by the ongoing conflict”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “the area around us is stormy and restive. Threats lurk in every corner – in Syria, in Lebanon, in the Gaza Strip, as well as in Iraq, Yemen and directly in Iran. Where not? Iranian and pro-Iranian forces are relentlessly arming themselves”. He went on to assert that “we are prepared for the threats and will not hesitate to strike harshly at anyone who tries to attack us. Iran’s threshold of daring in the region is rising and it grows even more in the absence of a response. However, Israel will not turn the other cheek. Whoever is bent on aggression – will meet with a vigorous response, and will pay a heavy price”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons. It’s transgressing on its agreement and commitment. Iran wants to develop precision guided missiles that can hit any target in Israel within five to ten meters. It’s doing that. Iran wants to use Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as bases to attack Israel with statistical missiles and precision-guided missiles.” He went on to assert that “to ward off this danger… you have to be strong militarily. And to be strong militarily, we have to shift now money from the civilian areas to the military areas”.

Speaking alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that “Iran is seeking to develop now precision-guided munitions, missiles that can hit any target in the Middle East with a circumference of five to ten metres. They are developing this in Iran. They want to place them in Iraq and in Syria, and to convert Lebanon’s arsenal of 130,000 statistical rockets to precision-guided munitions. They seek also to develop that, and have already begun to put that in Yemen, with the goal of reaching Israel from there, too”. He further asserted that “Iran is the single greatest threat to stability and peace in the Middle East”, and urged Mnuchin “to put even more” sanctions on Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met with a senior Huthi official in Tehran, and reportedly expressed “Iran’s support for establishing a truce in Yemen and holding intra-Yemeni dialogue”.

A senior U.S. diplomat met with the President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and other officials in the international recognised government of Yemen in Riyadh. The U.S. official “reaffirmed U.S. support for the unity of Yemen” and “stressed that a political solution is the only path to a peaceful, prosperous, stable and unified Yemen”. 

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani argued that “any measure which exacerbates insecurity and increases crisis in the region should be halted immediately… the regional crises, including the Syria and Yemen crises, have no military solution and they should be settled through diplomacy and Syrian-Syrian and Yemeni-Yemeni talks”.

In a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Rouhani noted that “foreign interference will add to the insecurity. The first step to ease tensions in the region is to establish a cease-fire in Yemen and end attacks on the innocent Yemenis, and Iran supports any attempt in this regard”. He further argued that “to resolve regional issues, we require changing strategies towards political dialogue with goodwill, security-building and developing regional cooperation… relying on terrorists, the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel], and the U.S. has no fruit except for more tension and damages to Islamic countries and regional nations, and does not guarantee security for any country and the region”. Rouhani also stated that “sustainable security and peace in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz can only be achieved through the participation of regional states”, adding that “Iran is always ready for dialogue and cooperation with all countries in the region”. Rouhani went on to posit that “the U.S.’ request for negotiation without preconditions is not an honest move with sanctions in place… we are ready to negotiation within the framework of the JCPOA if sanctions are lifted”.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, remarked that “Iran has proposed a four-article plan for finishing the war on Yemen since a long time ago. The end of this war can have positive effects on the region”. He also reiterated that “Iran has never been the initiator of any war, but if any country begins a war against Iran, it will undoubtedly regret it”.

Referring to 14 September attacks on Saudi oil facilities, Saudi Aramco's Chief Executive contended that “an absence of international resolve to take concrete action may embolden the attackers and indeed put the world's energy security at greater risk”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stated that “in a situation where the Saudis would like to negotiate with Iran, if they pursue regional issues at the negotiating table and not by killing people, they will certainly have the Islamic Republic along with them”.

The Saudi-led coalition reported that two Huthi ballistic missiles landed inside Yemeni territory.

Iran's military chief of staff indicated that Iran was providing the Huthis "advisory and intellectual assistance and the IRGC is in charge of this". He also asserted that "we will stand by the Yemeni people until they completely ward off the aggressions". 

An Iranian official indicated that the Saudis “have sent messages to Mr. Rouhani through a head of state… we must see signs of it [goodwill] without any ambiguity, and the first sign of it is to stop the aggression against Yemen and put an end to the massacre of Yemenis”. He added that “if they genuinely sought to change their behaviour, we would welcome that”.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson announced that “Iran welcomes the Yemeni National Salvation Government’s proposal and considers it to be in favour of the establishment of stability and security in the region”. He went on to say that “sadly, Saudi Arabia is still seeking to fan the flames and continues to bombard different parts of Yemen” and called on “the Saudi government to accept this offer”. A senior Saudi official subsequently indicated that "the Kingdom did not and will not talk with the Iranians. Yemen is the affair of the Yemenis... and the reason behind the Yemeni crisis is the Iranian destabilising role of its stability and disruptive role in the political efforts". He also contended that Iran "provides its followers with weapons and missiles targeting the sons of Yemen and the security of the Kingdom and the countries of the region as part of the approach of this expansionist regime seeking to impose its control on Arab countries through its militias". He additionally advised Iran to "stop your support for terrorism, policies of chaos and destruction, interference in the internal affairs of Arab states, development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile program. Act like a normal state and not a rogue one supporting terrorism". 

A senior IRGC official asserted that “Yemen’s deterrent power in the face of enemies has become clear after the reactions to Al Saud’s attacks, and the enemies are also mindful that they will be harmed if they take any action against that country”.

In his address to the UN General Assembly, Bahrain’s foreign minister remarked that “the adoption of the Iranian regime of transitional terrorism has created networks of terrorist organisations and extremist militias, located in many places and different parts of the world such as Syria, Yemen, North Africa, the countries of the Sahara and the Sahel, South America and others. This requires us to intensify our efforts and enhance collective cooperation in order to eliminate them and prevent their return in any form”. He also applauded “the decisive course taken by the friendly U.S. in confronting Iran and its affiliates in the region, through exerting maximum pressure and imposing strict sanctions”. He went on to assert that “global energy supplies and maritime navigation in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the region as a whole are severely threatened by the behaviour of the Iranian regime and its frequent targeting of commercial vessels in the region”, adding condemnation of the 14 September attacks on Saudi energy facilities “which Iran bears responsibility for”.  

Referring to the 14 September attacks against Saudi energy facilities, U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo argued that Iran “took an act clearly, highly attributable. They had to know that the world would determine that it was them that conducted this strike. They didn’t use their usual method of trying to obscure this through use of a proxy force”. He added that “they had to know it was the case that the world would rally against them, and yet they still chose to do it”.

President Rouhani remarked that “the Yemeni people have a right to self-defence and they have to defend themselves, and the whole world knows that the Yemeni forces and the Yemeni army have both long-range missiles and drones”. Rouhani went on to “urge the U.S., France, Britain and Germany, who are constantly giving arms to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates to kill the Yemeni people, to stop sending weapons and to pressurise Saudi Arabia and the UAE for peace”.

IRGC Commander Hossein Salami argued that “our power is such that when a group like Ansar Allah carries out an operation, the enemy thinks it has been done by us”. He added that the Huthis were “a mutated branch of the revolution…They are an accumulated source of power that, if released, will change the whole battlefield and the enemy knows this reality”.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman argued that the 14 September attacks against Saudi energy facilities “didn’t hit the heart of the Saudi energy industry, but rather the heart of the global energy industry”, adding that the Iranians carried out the operation because of “stupidity. There is no strategic goal… the only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did”. Bin Salman also stated that “if the world does not take a strong and firm action to deter Iran, we will see further escalations that will threaten world interests. Oil supplies will be disrupted and oil prices will jump to unimaginably high numbers that we haven't seen in our lifetimes”. Bin Salman also posited that a “political and peaceful solution is much better than the military one”, while asserting that “it is the Iranians who don’t want to sit at the table” with President Trump. On Yemen, Bin Salman stated that “if Iran stops its support of the Huthi militia, the political solution will be much easier”.

A senior U.S. official stated that “we are, to the extent possible, talking with the Huthis to try and find a mutually agreeable negotiated solution to the conflict in Yemen.  We have been talking to the Huthis for some time and we will continue to do so at increasingly higher levels”. He added that “the Huthis are a significant part of the problem in Yemen, but they necessarily will be part of the solution”.

A senior Saudi official contended that “we are certain it [the 14 September attack on Saudi energy facilities] came from the north. Once the investigation is complete, we will make the announcements and we will pin the blame. But we believe Iran is responsible because these were Iranian weapons”. He went on to say that “our position is we have to be firm with Iran. We have to come up with options on how we increase the pressure on the Iranians. You have a whole list of potential options: diplomatic, economic and military”. The official added that “the Iranians are warmongering, not us. The Iranians are the ones who launched 260 ballistic missiles on Saudi Arabia and more than 150 drones. We did not launch any ballistic missiles, any drones. We did not plant any terrorist cells in Iran and we didn’t even fire one bullet in the direction of Iran… so we’re on the receiving end”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted three Huthi missiles inside the Yemeni airspace.

In a statement, France, Germany, and the UK jointly “condemn[ed] in the strongest terms the attacks on oil facilities on Saudi territory on September 14th, 2019 in Abqaiq and Khurais”. They further declared that “it is clear to us that Iran bears responsibility for this attack. There is no other plausible explanation. We support ongoing investigations to establish further details”. The E3 also urged Iran “to reverse its decisions to reduce compliance with the deal and to adhere fully to its commitments under it”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif responded that the “E3's paralysis in fulfilling their obligations without U.S. permission has been clear since May 2018”. He added that the “solution to this deficiency is mustering will to forge an independent path—not parroting absurd U.S. claims and requests inconsistent with the JCPOA”. Zarif went on to posit that there would be “no new deal before compliance with the current one”.In a statement, Iran’s foreign ministry contended that “attributing the responsibility to the third government for an attack carried out in the course of a full-scale war between the Saudi and Yemeni sides is per se a provocative and extremely destructive move”. U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo responded by saying that “the U.S. thanks our close friends, UK, France, and Germany, for their clear articulation of Iran’s sole responsibility for the act of war against Saudi Arabia and its impact on the region and the world… this will strengthen diplomacy and the cause of peace”.

Foreign Minister Zarif described the U.S. decision to bolster its forces in Saudi Arabia as “posturing”, and added that he was “confident that Iran did not play a role” in the 14 September attacks against Saudi energy facilities. Zarif also noted in passing that “the Israelis are attacking parts of [the] Iraqi military”. He went on to state that “we’re ready to talk [with President Trump]… we need to talk about something that is permanent. That would last”. Zarif additionally warned that “I’m not confident that we can avoid a war… I’m confident that we will not start one but I’m confident that whoever starts one will not be the one who finishes it”.

Secretary of State Pompeo asserted that the 14 September attack against Saudi energy facilities “was an attack by Iran on the world. This was an act of war”. He went on state that “apparently, the Iranians are bloodthirsty and looking for war. President Trump and I, we’re looking for a diplomatic resolution to this… but make no mistake about it: we’re prepared to do the things we need to do to try to deter Iran from this kind of behaviour”. Pompeo added that sanctions “will deny them the resources to foment the exact kind of strikes that we have seen over this past summer”, and also contended that the Iranian people “will demand that their leadership behave in a way that reflects the great history of this place”.

Foreign Minister Zarif argued that “since the Saudi regime has blamed Iran – baseless as that is – for the [14 September] attacks on its oil facilities, curious that they retaliated against Hodeida in Yemen today—breaking a UN ceasefire. It is clear that even the Saudis themselves don't believe the fiction of Iranian involvement”.

U.S. Secretary of Defence Mark Esper asserted that “in recent months, Iran has increased its military activity through direct attacks and support to its proxies in the region”, adding that “all indications are that Iran was responsible for the attack” against Saudi energy facilities on 14 September. Esper announced that “in response to the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia’s] request, the president has approved the deployment of U.S. forces, which will be defensive in nature and primarily focussed on air and missile defence. We will also work to accelerate the delivery of military equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to enhance their ability to defend themselves”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah remarked that “Saudi Arabia is highly advised to stop the war on Yemen instead of seeking to purchase advanced air defence missile systems. All costly weapons purchased [from] the U.S. cannot protect you from [Huthi] drone attacks”. Nasrallah added that “a military aggression on Iran will never be to the benefit of Saudi Arabia and the UAE”.

The Saudi-led coalition said it had foiled “an attempt by Iran-affiliated Huthi terrorist militias to carry out an imminent hostile and terrorist act in the south of [the] Red Sea by using a remote-controlled booby-trapped boat”.

The UAE signed on to the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct.

Iran’s President Rouhani remarked that “it is strange that the enemies of the region have not yet understood the power of the regional nations’ resistance… instead of admitting that Lebanon’s Hizbollah has high capabilities and power both in scientific and military knowledge and bravery in the field, or that a part of brave young people of Iraq have liberated different cities across the country from the hands of terrorists, and instead of admitting to the growth and greatness of nations like Syria and Yemen, they are seeking to accuse others”.

The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson announced that the 14 September attack on Saudi oil facilities “was launched from the north and unquestionably sponsored by Iran. We are working to know the exact launch point”. He added that the attack “did not originate from Yemen despite Iran's best efforts to make it appear so”.

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo remarked that the 14 September attack on Saudi energy facilities “didn’t come from the Huthis…This was an Iranian attack. It’s not the case that you can subcontract out the devastation of five per cent of the world’s global energy supply and think that you can absolve yourself of responsibilities”. Pompeo also indicated that “we are working to build out a coalition to develop a plan to deter” Iran. He went on to assert that “some suggest that the President’s strategy that we allowed isn’t working. I would argue just the converse of that. I would argue that what you are seeing here is a direct result of us reversing the enormous failure of the JCPOA”. Pompeo added that “55 weeks from now, the whole world can sell exactly these missile systems, conventional missile systems to the Iranian government unencumbered by any sanctions… they’d have more complex ones but for the sanctions we put in place”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif seized on Pompeo’s characterisation of the 14 September attack as an “act of war” to posit “’act of war’ or agitation for war? Remnants of the B-Team (and ambitious allies) try to deceive President Trump into war”. Zarif also suggested “seizing [the] opportunity to end disaster in Yemen – not widening it”.

President Rouhani suggested that “the Yemeni nation was not the source of the conflict but it was Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the Americans, some European countries and the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel] that began the war and destroyed Yemen”. He also contended, referring to the 14 September attack against Saudi energy facilities, that “the Yemenis did not target a school, hospital or market, but they attacked an industrial centre to warn their enemies”. “Iran”, Rouhani added, “has never started to cut ties and disrupt relations, and if even those who have cut ties step forward, we would like to have good relations with all the nations of the region and with our neighbours”. In related remarks, Defence Minister Amir Hatami stated that “a clash has occurred between two countries. One side of the clash are the Yemenis, who have announced explicitly that they have done the job”.

Saudi Arabia signed on the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Zarif argued that the “U.S. is in denial if it thinks that Yemeni victims of 4.5 years of the worst war crimes wouldn't do all to strike back. Perhaps it's embarrassed that $100s of billions of its arms didn't intercept Yemeni fire”. He added that “blaming Iran won't change that. Ending the war is the only solution for all”. Zarif further stated that “the U.S. isn’t upset when its allies mercilessly bomb babies in Yemen for over four years—with its arms and its military assistance. But it is terribly upset when the victims react the only way they can—against the aggressor's oil refineries”.

In a statement on the 14 September attacks against Aramco facilities, the Saudi government said that “initial investigations have indicated that the weapons used in the attack were Iranian weapons”, adding that “investigations are still ongoing to determine the source of the attack”.

Commenting on the 14 September attack against Saudi energy facilities, President Rouhani stated that “this problem has its roots in the Yemeni invasion. We must ask those who invaded Yemen and are bombing it daily why they did it… they have destroyed Yemen and killed a large number of Yemenis, and the Yemeni people have to respond to this [sic] many acts of aggression and guns coming from the U.S. and Europe to Saudi Arabia and the UAE".

In a statement, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi’s office indicated that “Iraq denies what has been circulated by some media outlets and social media about the use of its territories to attack Saudi oil facilities by drones”.  

The Saudi government confirmed that “several explosions occurred as a result of terrorist attacks in Saudi Aramco plants in Khurais and Abqaiq… according to preliminary estimates, these explosions led to the interruption of a quantity of crude oil supplies estimated at 5.7 million barrels, or about 50 per cent of the company’s production”. The Huthis took responsibility for the operation, which they claimed was carried out using “tens of drones”. President Trump subsequently spoke to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and, according to a Saudi readout of the conversation, “reasserted his country’s readiness to cooperate with the Kingdom, by all means conducive to maintain its security and stability”. U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo stated that “Tehran is behind nearly 100 attacks on Saudi Arabia while Rouhani and Zarif pretend to engage in diplomacy. Amid all the calls for de-escalation, Iran has now launched an unprecedented attack on the world’s energy supply. There is no evidence the attacks came from Yemen”. He further called on “all nations to publicly and unequivocally condemn Iran’s attacks. The U.S. will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif responded saying that “having failed at ‘maximum pressure’, Secretary Pompeo is turning to ‘max deceit’”.

The Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee for Follow-up of the Crisis with Iran and Response to its Interventions in Arab Internal Affairs, chaired by the UAE and including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, “condemned Iran's continued support for terrorist and subversive acts in the Arab countries, including the continued firing of Iranian-made ballistic missiles from Yemeni territory into populated cities in the Kingdom”. It also denounced remarks by Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s as “intended to provoke sedition and incite hatred; and which is an extension of the dangerous role of this terrorist party, which is considered as one of the arms of Iran aiming to destabilise the security and stability in the region”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson responded that “the rehash of groundless accusations against [Iran’s] eternal ownership of its three islands in the Persian Gulf and the blame game by some Arab countries whose regional policies have failed are… the reason behind their failure to understand the realities of the region and the world”. He went on to say that “it is regrettable that some, instead of relying on the power of Persian Gulf states, make divergent, unfounded and undocumented allegations about the security of the region and welcome foreigners with their desperation”.

Saudi Arabia downed a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Najran.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabi.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, argued that “Iran is using Yemen to increase its status as a regional power… Iran has provided the Huthis with hundreds of millions of dollars and an arsenal of advanced weaponry”. “Iran’s strategic alliance with the Huthis”, Hook wrote, “allows them to target Gulf nations at will with missile and UAV attacks, and to inspire, organise, and direct militant separatist groups in Saudi Arabia’s provinces”. He also posited that Iran’s “alliance with the Huthis now allows Iran to threaten ship traffic in the Bab al-Mandab strait”, and indicated that “newly declassified information shows that Hizbollah is actively supporting the Huthi cause in Yemen, bringing Iran’s proxy network full circle”. Hook went on to underscore that “the Trump administration is focused on reversing Iran’s strategic gains in the region as part of the ‘maximum pressure’ campaign”, and contended that “the Huthis have little gain and a lot to lose by continuing their partnership with Iran”.

Saudi Arabia downed a Huthi ballistic missile reportedly bound for Najran.

Saudi Arabia downed a ballistic missile reportedly bound for Najran, and intercepted a Huthi drone it said was bound for Khamis Mushait.

Iran’s military chief of staff rejected the notion that Iran was sending weapons to the Huthis, contending that “how could one send a 9-meter-long missile to a country that is under blockade and is unable to receive medicine? These are illusions held by some”.

Saudi Arabia downed a trio of ballistic missiles in Najran and intercepted two Huthi drones, one of which was reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

President Rouhani remarked that “there is no military solution to the Yemeni crisis at all, and we have to try to reach a fair peace and sustainable security in the country through political dialogue”.

President Rouhani spoke by phone with his French counterpart and asserted that “if Europe cannot put its commitments into operation, Iran will take the third step in reducing its JCPOA commitments, which of course will be reversible”. He additionally underscored “that the continuation of negotiations for settling problems is the right decision and we need to continue along this path until we reach a desired point”. Rouhani also told Macron that “the leaders of the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel] have made countless miscalculations towards other countries like Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, and they are announcing their acts of aggression proudly instead of apologising”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabi.

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo met with Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and “reiterated U.S. support for a negotiated resolution between the Republic of Yemen government and the Southern Transitional Council”. They additionally discussed “the need for stronger maritime security in order to promote freedom of navigation [and] the Iranian regime’s destabilising activities in the region”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two Huthi drones, one inside Yemeni airspace and the second reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait. The coalition also asserted that a ballistic missile fired by the Huthis had landed within Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabi.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two Huthi drones inside Yemeni airspace.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted six ballistic missiles purportedly bound for Jizan.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted Huthi drones reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait and Jizan.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that “I don’t grant Iran immunity anywhere. Iran is a state, a power, that has sworn to annihilate Israel. It’s trying to establish bases against us everywhere. In Iran itself, in Lebanon, in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen”. Netanyahu went on to say that “we’re acting not only if necessary, we’re acting in very many theatres against a state that seeks to annihilate us. Obviously I’ve given the security forces the order and the operation freedom to do what is necessary in order to disrupt these plots by Iran”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two Huthi drones reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

A U.S. CENTCOM spokesperson announced that "we are investigating reports of an attack by Iranian-backed Huthis forces on a U.S. unmanned aerial system (UAS) operating in authorised airspace over Yemen”. He further asserted that “we have been clear that Iran's provocative actions and support to militants and proxies, like the Iranian-backed Huthis, poses a serious threat to stability in the region and our partners”.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Secretary of State Pompeo reiterated that “the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies continue to foment terror and unrest in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen with devastating humanitarian consequences”, adding that “since the U.S. declared our intention to bring all Iranian oil purchases to zero in April, the ayatollah has gone all in on a campaign of extortion diplomacy”. He also indicated that “we are already tracking very closely the JCPOA provisions expiring in October of 2020, namely the UN arms embargo and the travel restrictions on Qasem Soleimani”. “Time is drawing short to continue this activity of restricting Iran’s capacity to foment its terror regime”, Pompeo argued. “The international community will have plenty of time to see how long it has until Iran is unshackled to create new turmoil, and figure out what it must do to prevent this from happening”. At a press conference, Pompeo stated that “Iran’s continued development and testing of advanced ballistic missiles in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 is also an issue that the international community must address”.

A senior Saudi official confirmed that “a processing unit of Shaybah’s natural gas plant was targeted by explosive-laden [Huthi] drones, resulting in a limited fire”.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with Yemen’s Huthis, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.  The UK ambassador in Iran, Rob Macaire, emphasised that it was “important to have dialogue both on [the] political track and humanitarian crisis”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone inside Yemeni airspace.

National Security Advisor John Bolton asserted that Iran is “a country that never really made the key decision to give up nuclear weapons. They have not modified their widespread support for international terrorism. They've not given up their troublemaking in the Middle East, in Iraq and Syria and Yemen. They’re still a threat in the Persian Gulf to oil, they’re a threat to our forces, not just in Iraq and Syria, but now in Afghanistan”. “This is a regime really that needs a fundamental change in its behaviour”, Bolton added.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson stated that “the coalition of Saudi and Emirati invaders and their mercenaries, who have been unable to shatter the willpower of [Yemeni] people despite using various advanced weapons, massacre, and wreaking widespread destruction over the past five years and who have failed in the face of the fortitude and resistance of people across Yemen, are now seeking to partition Yemen with a suspicious plot”. He added that “the Islamic Republic of Iran always supports a ‘united Yemen’ and deems protecting its integrity a common responsibility of all Yemeni people”.

In a meeting with a visiting Huthi delegation, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated that “Saudi Arabia and UAE and their supporters have committed major crimes in Yemen and certainly won’t get their favourite results”. He added that “they seek to divide Yemen [and] this plot should be strongly resisted and a unified, coherent Yemen with sovereign integrity should be endorsed”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif told a visiting Huthi spokesperson that “the Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported Yemeni-Yemeni talks and the full implementation of the Stockholm Agreements”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

Secretary of State Pompeo spoke by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discussed “maritime security, Yemen, countering the Iranian regime’s destabilising activity and human rights”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Jizan.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Abha.

The State Department issued a statement indicating that “the U.S. is deeply concerned by the outbreak of violence and deadly clashes in Aden”, going on to assert that “dialogue represents the only way to achieve a stable, unified, and prosperous Yemen”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two Huthi drones reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

The U.S. State Department's spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, condemned recent attacks in southern Yemen. She further stated that “attacks such as these by the Iranian-backed Huthis, ISIS, or al-Qaeda are unacceptable”.

Reacting to a Huthi attack on a military parade in Aden, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen stated that “the synchronised targeting by the terrorist Iran-backed Huthis and its terrorist sister groups ISIS and AQAP of the security and stability of the interim capital Aden proves their unity of objective: bloodshed and non-recognition of State, laws and inviolability of man”.

Secretary of State Pompeo indicated “real progress” in efforts to address the conflict in Yemen, while adding that “it is uneven – in the end, the player who will get to play the ultimate final card there would be the Iranians”. “The Huthis have to make a decision”, Pompeo asserted. “They’ve got to decide if they want to continue down the path of being disruptive and accepting missiles and launching them into Saudi Arabia”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait.

President Rouhani asserted that “along with maintaining the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Republic of Iran works for the safety of other waterways in the world, including the Bab al-Mandab and the Indian Ocean”. In apparent reference to the seizure by Iran of a UK-flagged tanker on 19 July, Rouhani added: “The Strait of Hormuz has a very important location; it’s not to be taken as a joke or for a country to ignore international regulations, and enter the region in the wrong direction and disregard the IRGC’s warnings, who are responsible for the security of the Strait of Hormuz”. He further asserted that “the main responsibility for protecting the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf is mainly with Iran and neighbouring countries, and is not the others’ business”.

Referring to the recent incidents, Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers stated that “any infringement on the freedom of international maritime navigation is considered a violation of the international law, and the international community must take the necessary action to reject and deter it”.

The Saudi-led coalition reportedly intercepted multiple Huthi drones bound for Asir.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Abha.

U.S. Central Command announced and Saudi Arabia confirmed that “in coordination with and at the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Secretary of Defense has authorized the movement of U.S. personnel and resources to deploy to Saudi Arabia”.

U.S. Central Command announced that it was “developing a multinational maritime effort, Operation Sentinel, to increase surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation”. The statement added that “this maritime security framework will enable nations to provide escort to their flagged vessels while taking advantage of the cooperation of participating nations for coordination and enhanced maritime domain awareness and surveillance”.

The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister jointly announced that Bahrain would host an international meeting on maritime security later in the year.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Jizan.

At a cabinet meeting, President Trump stated that with regards to Iran “a lot of progress has been made. And if they’d like to talk, then we'll see what happens.” He went on to reiterate that “they can’t have a nuclear weapon. We’re not looking, by the way, for regime change… and we want them to get out of Yemen”.  Secretary of State Pompeo asserted that “with respect to Iran, we’ve done three things. We’ve supported the Iranian people… we’ve continued to work with this coalition [of Gulf countries and Israel] that all understands that the largest threat to Middle East security is, in fact, the Islamic Republic of Iran… thirdly, we’ve imposed a series of sanctions on the Iranian regime”.  He added that “the Iranian regime is struggling to figure out what they're going to do with their economy because we've been terribly effective...for the first time the Iranians have said that they're prepared to negotiate about their missile program”. An Iranian spokesperson rejected Iran’s willingness to discuss its missile program, saying that “Iran’s missiles and its missiles are absolutely and under no condition negotiable with anyone or any country, period”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted three Huthi drones reportedly bound for Jizan and Abha.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait and downed another inside Yemen’s airspace.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi-led coalition announced that “the Huthis attempted to attack a commercial ship south of the Red Sea using a booby-trapped boat with explosives”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted drones purportedly bound for an airport in Jizan.

The Saudi-led coalition announced that a Huthi attack against Abha airport injured nine civilians. The U.S. State Department's spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, condemned the attack and asserted that “we stand firmly with our Saudi partners in defending their borders against these continued threats by the Huthis, who rely on Iranian-made weapons and technology to carry out such attacks”.

Saudi Arabia downed a Huthi drone reportedly bound for Saudi Arabia within Yemen’s airspace.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted two Huthi drones; one was reportedly bound for Jizan while the second was said to have been bound for Asir.

The U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, stated that “If we do not prevent Iranians from laying down deep roots in Yemen, they will be in a position to threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab”. He went on to say that “an outlaw regime is violating basic maritime law and now represents a maritime threat across the Gulf”.

The Saudi-led coalition downed a Huthi drone, said to be bound for Saudi Arabia, inside Yemeni airspace.  

The U.S., Saudi Arabia, the UK and the UAE released a joint statement conveying “concern over escalating tensions in the region and the dangers posed by Iranian destabilising activity to peace and security both in Yemen and the broader region”. The statement went on to “call on Iran to halt any further actions which threaten regional stability, and urge diplomatic solutions to de-escalate tensions”.

The Saudi-led coalition announced that a Huthi attack on Abha International Airport left one killed and seven injured. Secretary of State Pompeo condemned the attack and contended that “some want to portray the Yemen conflict as an isolated civil war, without a clear aggressor. It is neither. It is spreading conflict and humanitarian disaster that was conceived of and perpetuated by the Islamic Republic of Iran… With every attack conducted by an Iranian proxy, the regime tacks another day onto its forty-year track record of spreading death and chaos in the region, and beyond”. He went on to reiterate that “we will continue our pressure campaign until Iran stops its torrent of violence and meets diplomacy with diplomacy”.

In Riyadh, the U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, stated that “Iran’s efforts to use surrogates to attack Saudi Arabia and destabilise the region needs to be countered”. He added that “our diplomacy does not give Iran the right to respond with military force, Iran needs to meet our diplomacy with diplomacy and not military force… it’s important we do everything we can do de-escalate”. Saudi Vice Minister of Defence, Khalid bin Salman, reiterated his government’s “support for the U.S. maximum pressure campaign on Iran, which came as a result of continuing Iranian hostility and terrorism”, also underlining “the dangerous role that the Iranian regime plays in Yemen”.

The Saudi-led coalition announced that a projectile fired by the Huthis hit a desalination plant in Jizan, causing no casualties or damage.  

Saudi media reported that “Iranian experts and other Huthi militants were killed during a failed attempt to launch a ballistic missile” in Sanaa.

Saudi Arabia intercepted two Huthi drones; one was reportedly bound for Abha while the second was downed before it entered Saudi airspace.

Secretary of State Pompeo reaffirmed his assessment that the 13 June tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman "were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on freedom of navigation, with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait... we have high confidence with respect to who conducted these attacks as well as half a dozen other attacks throughout the world over the past 40 days". "President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war", Pompeo added. "We don't want war. We've done what we can to deter this. The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this kind of behaviour". He also indicated that "Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. That's the goal. That's the objective of our entire campaign with respect to Iran, and to create stability throughout the Middle East as part of that effort". In a separate interview, Pompeo, asked if there was "legal authorisation for a strike on Iran", replied: "We always have the authorisation to defend American interests. Remember, they now have attacked U.S. aircraft". He also contended that "if we relieve sanctions, their nuclear program presents an even greater risk to the U.S." 

In a statement, U.S. Central Command announced that "a U.S. MQ-9 was shot down over Yemen by what we asses[s]  to be a Huthi SA-6 surface-to-air missile on June 6, 2019. The altitude of the engagement indicated an improvement over previous Huthi capability, which we asses[s] was enabled by Iranian assistance". On the 13th, CENTCOM went on to indicate, "a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9 over the Gulf of Oman to disrupt surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous... the SA-7 was ineffective". 

Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman declared that Saudi Arabia "does not want a war in the region, but we will not hesitate in dealing with any threat against our people, sovereignty and vital interests". He went on to state that "Iran's recklessness has reached unprecedented levels", adding that "Iran must choose between becoming a normal country that plays a constructive role in the international community or remain a rogue state and assume the international consequences of its choice". Bin Salman also stressed that "the Huthi militias prioritise Iran's agenda over the interests of Yemen and its people", arguing that attacks against the Kingdom "reflect the priorities of Tehran, not Sanaa". 

Saudi Arabia downed a Huthi drone bound for Abha. 

Saudi Arabia announced that its military had "successfully intercepted and destroyed five unmanned drone aircraft launched by Huthi militia towards Abha International Airport and Khamis Mushait". 

The Saudi-led coalition announced that "a hostile projectile fired by the Huthi militia hit the arrivals hall at Abha International Airport", injuring 26. 

Saudi Arabia shot down a pair of Huthi drones reportedly bound for Khamis Mushait. 

Following a request by Iran, the Saudi-led coalition evacuated a stricken sailor from an Iranian vessel off the Yemeni coast. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif contended that "Western publics and legislatures demand an end to the humanitarian disaster that is the Saudi-Emirati war on Yemen. But their governments provide ever more weapons used to perpetuate war crimes". "Time and again", Zarif added, "our offers of a political way out have been rebuffed. This evil cycle must stop". 

As Saudi Arabia hosted summits of the OIC, GCC and the Arab League, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson contended that “we deem the Saudi efforts to mobilise the views of neighbouring and Arab countries a continuation of the indecisive process that the U.S. and the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel] are pursuing against the Islamic Republic of Iran”. He further stressed that “Saudi Arabia took political and instrumental advantage of the auspicious month of Ramadan and the holy city of Mecca to make accusations against the Islamic Iran from the mouth of some participants in the conference”.

The Arab League held an extraordinary summit in Mecca convened by King Salman “to discuss the serious repercussions” of the 12 May tanker incident off the UAE coast and 14 May drone attack against a Saudi pipeline. A final communique suggested that Iranian actions “directly and dangerously threaten the security and stability in the region”, and urged “the international community to take a firm stand against Iran and its destabilizing activities in the region”.

The GCC Supreme Council issued a communique highlighting “the need that Iran spares the region the dangers of war by abiding by the international laws and conventions, stop interference in the internal affairs of the countries of the region, and stop supporting terrorist groups and militias and threatening the security of maritime navigation”. The statement went on to applaud “the actions taken by the U.S. to confront Iran”.

In remarks to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf stated that “Tehran’s support for Huthi militias in Yemen is proof of Iranian interference in other nations’ affairs and this is something that Islamic countries should reject”. Describing the Fujairah incident and Saudi pipeline attacks earlier in the month as “terrorist attacks”, al-Assad urged that they “must be countered with determination”.

The Saudi-led coalition’s spokesperson indicated that “we have documented information on the supply of missiles by the Revolutionary Guard to the Huthi militia in Yemen”. He added that “over 35 Huthi terrorist acts in Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea have been foiled”, and stated that “we are planning to speed up the military pace to neutralise Huthi threats”.

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone allegedly attempting to target King Abdullah Airport in Jizan.

Saudi Arabia's UN envoy urged the Security Council "to shoulder its responsibilities by taking a firm stand against the Iran-backed terrorist Huthi militias after targeting vital populated areas in the Kingdom with ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles".

The Saudi-led coalition intercepted a Huthi drone purportedly attempting to target Najran Regional Airport.

The Saudi-led coalition asserted that "Huthi militants had tried to hit a civilian facility in Saudi Arabia's southern border province of Najran with a drone carrying explosives". 

Saudi Arabia reportedly shot down a pair of Huthi missiles; media reports posited they were intended for Mecca and Jeddah but intercepted en route at Taif. Huthi leadership subsequently responded by saying that "what the Saudi regime claims about targeting Mecca is a big lie and a despicable claim... it is well-known that the criminal Saudi regime first raises false claims and then confesses to facts that it had previously concealed".

An unidentified Huthi source was cited as indicating that the 14 May drone attack against Saudi oil facilities constituted "the beginning of military operations against 300 vital military targets", which, according to the source, "included military vital headquarters and facilities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia as well as their bases in Yemen". 

The Huthis' leader, Abdul-Malik al-Huthi, declared that "the enemy's persistent crimes will never weaken the will of the Yemeni nation; they are in fact steadfast in the resistance against the enemy's aggression". Al-Huthi added that "the transgressing coalition - with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates at its forefront, along with all its backers - hosts the worst genocide record in the world".

A senior Huthi official, speaking one day after drone attacks against a Saudi pipeline, reportedly "denied they were acting on Iran's behalf, but were instead defending themselves against the Saudi-led" coalition.  

The Saudi government reported that "two pump stations on the East-West pipeline were attacked by armed drones which caused a fire and minor damage to Pump Station No. 8"; a senior official stressed that "these attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Huthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran". A Huthi spokesperson subsequently took responsibility for the action, stating that "this is a message to Saudi Arabia, stop your aggression. Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing every day against the Yemeni people".  In June, media reports citing U.S. officials suggested that the drone had been launched from Iraq.

President Trump extended the U.S national emergency regarding Yemen by one year. 

Amidst Huthi redeployments from Hodeidah and two other ports, the Iranian government suggested that the move showed the Huthis' "determination and commitment to dialogue and honouring its commitments on the one hand, and reveals the Saudi coalition's obstructionism and lack of commitment to the [Stockholm] deal on the other hand". 

Representatives of Harajat al-Nujaba, an Iraqi militia sanctioned by the U.S., met with Huthi officials 

In an advisory, the U.S Maritime Administration assessed that "since early May, there is an increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against U.S. and partners interests, including oil production infrastructure, after recently threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait or the Persian Gulf". 

CENTCOM's commander asserted that "as we witness the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen, it's important to remember that Iran is behind the irresponsible behaviour that actually led to the overthrow of the government in Yemen and created the crisis we now have in Yemen. The humanitarian tragedy that we confront in Yemen is the child of Iranian ambition and their support for the Huthis in trying to create a Hizbollah-like state in Yemen". He also indicated that "the Iranian regime has smuggled ballistic missiles into Yemen and assisted with their construction and deployment. And they're employed by the Huthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as against the United Arab Emirates, threatening our partners as well as Americans who live and work there. They've also irresponsibly fired missiles into the Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea, where vital commerce and oil transport occurs". 

Secretary Pompeo explained that "were this a simple civil war in Yemen, it would be difficult to justify America having any involvement, but sadly, that's not the case. This is the terrain in which al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula exists... we have an obligation to protect America, to take down that al-Qaeda terrorist threat that is on the inside of Yemen". "Moreover", Pompeo continued, "we have the Iranians using Yemen as a platform, a platform to hold ships transiting through the strait and around and through the waters that surround Yemen, both to the south of Yemen and to the west of Yemen, holding Americans ships, ships sailing through those seas, at risk. We also have Iranian platforms... unmanned, armed aerial vehicles as well as missile systems launching missiles into Riyadh and into the Emirates, where Americans travel frequently. There are real security risks". "The Saudis have an unambiguous right to defend themselves from attacks out of Yemen", he added, "and it is not the Huthis but rather the Iranians that are responsible for that". 

A 53-45 vote in the U.S. Senate was not enough to overturn President Trump's 16 April veto on continued U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. 

Iran's diplomatic spokesperson dismissed U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo's 29 April suggestion that Iran "has chosen to direct" the Huthis against efforts to end the Yemen conflict, countering that Pompeo was in fact "cover[ing] up the crimes by the Saudi-UAE coalition in Yemen and hindering the implementation of the [peace] agreements".

Discussing Yemen, Secretary of State Pompeo asserted that "with respect to the civil war, this is Iranian-led. We should just all be very clear about that. The Huthis, who continue to refuse to comply with the agreements that they signed up for in Stockholm, Sweden, they refused to move back from the port in Hodeida, they've refused to do all of the elements that the UN have laid out, because - very clearly, it's because the Islamic Republic of Iran has chosen to direct them to do that". He also referred to congressional calls against continued U.S. military involvement in the conflict, which President Trump vetoed, saying that "the people who were the happiest when that resolution passed were [Qods force commander] Qasem Soleimani and the ayatollah [Ali Khamenei]... when they see the U.S. shrink away from this challenge that puts U.S. citizens at risk, they think they have achieved a victory". 

At a conference in Russia, a senior Saudi defence official posited that "we have to choose between the chaos that Iran spreads and stability, security and development... Iran is spreading chaos in the region through destruction and bloodshed, and by supporting the militias of Hizbollah and Huthis".  

A U.S. diplomat urged "Iran, and all countries, to respect the free flow of energy and commerce, and freedom of navigation". 

Huthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned that "our missiles are capable of reaching Riyadh and beyond Riyadh, to Dubai and Abu Dhabi... it is possible to target strategic, vital, sensitive and influential targets in the event of any escalation in Hodeida". 

Following President Trump's veto on ending U.S. military involvement in the Yemen conflict, a Huthi official claimed the move was proof "that the U.S. is not only involved in the war on Yemen but also was behind the decision to go to war... others followed that decision and execute the wishes and ambitions of the U.S.". 

President Trump vetoed S.J.Res 7, directing him "to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities in or affecting Yemen". In a message to the Senate, Trump noted that "Huthis, supported by Iran, have used missiles, armed drones and explosive boats to attack civilian and military targets in... coalition countries, including areas frequented by American citizens, such as the airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition, the conflict in Yemen represents a 'cheap' and inexpensive way for Iran to cause trouble for the U.S. and for our ally, Saudi Arabia". He further indicated "the joint resolution would also harm the foreign policy of the U.S.", including by "embolden[ing] Iran's malign activities in Yemen". "Even the U.S. Congress wants to put an end to CENTCOM's destabilising activities in Yemen", suggested Foreign Minister Javad Zarif shortly thereafter. "But petrofinanced Netanyahu-firsters and their enabler in the White House will continue... to push for forever wars". 

The Huthis unveiled a "new locally-made ballistic missile", dubbed the Badr-F, which a spokesperson claimed "had entered in unannounced operations and hit its objectives successfully". 

Saudi Arabia intercepted a Huthi drone bound for Asir. 

Responding to an interviewer's comment that "you might not like Saudi Arabia, but do you want to give Yemen to Iran?", Secretary Pompeo argued that "this has been the administration's point all along. The true threat there in the region is the Islamic Republic of Iran. We don't want to do things that benefit them". 

Saudi Arabia intercepted two Huthi drones bound for Khamis Mushait; the resultant debris reportedly wounded five civilians. 

King Salman affirmed Saudi Arabia's "total rejection of any measures that would infringe on Syrian sovereignty over the Golan". He also urged "the international community to compel Iran-backed Huthi militias to stop their aggressive practices that have caused the sufferings of the Yemeni people and threatened the security and stability of the region".  

Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf asserted that "we reject President Trump's declaration on the occupied Golan, which is a Syrian Arab land". Al-Assaf also opined that "Iran's ballistic missiles pose a threat to regional and international security", adding that the Kingdom considered "Iran fully responsible for what is happening in Yemen". 

On Yemen, Secretary of State Pompeo argued that "since America's begin to assist the Saudis in their campaign, the ratio of civilian casualties to effectiveness has decreased dramatically", also noting that "the Iranians have contributed zero dollars to humanitarian assistance". "I'm hopeful", Pompeo added, "that the Iranians will lose heart and that the Huthis will see that they can have a political role there". 

A senior Huthi official noted that "we are talking with the Saudis and the UAE. The talks will either lead to peace or we will respond to them by missiles, UAVs and our popular committees".

Foreign Minister Zarif posited that "Saudi Arabia and its allies rejected Iran's peace plan for Yemen in April 2015 - claiming that victory was at hand within three weeks. On the eve of the war's shameful fifth year, a reminder that it's not too late to stop the nightmare that this war has become". 

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo posited that the Iranian are "using the Huthis as a proxy force, but Iran is firing missiles into Saudi Arabia, endangering not only the lives of the Saudi people but all those who transit [through Saudi Arabia]". 

The U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, noted that "we know historically that Iran has given Hizbollah an average of $700 million a year... we have seen evidence of the impact [of U.S. sanctions] when the leader of Hizbollah makes a public appeal for charity. It speaks for itself. This is the kind of impact that we want". He added that "we know that we have denied the [Iranian] regime even in the short amount of time [since sanctions came into effect] many billions of dollars in revenue", and underscored that the U.S. held "talks with any government where we see sanctions violations or even potential sanctions violations". Hook went on to underscore that "we are... committed to ensuring that troops under Iranian command are out