LONDON, August 7. /TASS/. Saudi authorities believe Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, is seeking to undermine Riyadh’s efforts to help resolve the conflict between the United States and Iran, Reuters reported, citing sources.
According to the sources, Saudi mediation efforts have recently shown progress, and the country’s leadership believes the diplomatic process is moving "in the right direction."
Earlier, Al Arabiya TV reported, citing sources, that Saudi intelligence had uncovered evidence of preparations by the Houthis and Iraqi armed groups for possible attacks. Reuters also reported that US intelligence agencies had warned Saudi authorities of potential Houthi strikes against energy and logistics facilities, including ports and airports. The information from Washington was corroborated by intelligence services in several other Middle Eastern countries.
On July 20, the Yemeni rebels announced a ban on maritime navigation linked to Saudi Arabia. They later attacked several Saudi oil tankers. In response, Riyadh and several other countries announced the creation of a naval coalition to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. In late July, Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said several drones launched toward the country’s oil facilities from Iraq had been intercepted, blaming the attack on Iran-backed armed groups.
