Iran has denied allegations that it is helping Yemen’s Houthi rebels attack commercial ships traveling through the Red Sea.
The United States, citing newly released intelligence, on Friday accused Iran of deep involvement in the planning of the Houthi attacks and of supplying weapons, financial support and training to the rebels.
“The accusation is baseless,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said in a news conference in Tehran.
Amirabdollahian said the attacks are “a completely Yemeni decision in support and defence of Gaza.”
His comments on Saturday come as the UK Navy reported several incidents of ships being targeted by drones in both the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, raising the question of whether a new risk area is opening to global vessels.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations received reports of drones flying low above a vessel before exploding, including one incident southwest of Veraval, India, that caused an explosion and fire on a ship it didn’t identify. No casualties were reported.
The world’s major container shipping carriers and oil shippers have been rerouting vessels away from the waterway.
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