New allegations that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has armed and guided Yemen's Houthi rebels have put the Tehran alliance at the centre of a resurgent conflict, as Saudi Arabia comes under heavy drone and missile fire. The Saudi-led coalition confirms an external state is behind the Houthis' evolving arsenal but does not name it, and Iran and the Houthis deny the claims.
organisation
Houthi rebels
Yemeni rebel group
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthi rebels said it intercepted and destroyed four drones over Riyadh and other regions on Saturday, as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi signalled willingness to help defend the kingdom. The latest attack follows a wave of Houthi strikes on Saudi airports and oil facilities, including a deadly strike on King Khalid airport last week that killed 13 people.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has raised its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to the highest level, warning Australians to postpone all travel including religious pilgrimages, as Houthi rebels intensify attacks on civilian infrastructure. King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has been shut since a deadly strike on October 10 that killed 13 people, with the airport remaining closed until at least Sunday morning Australian time.