US troubled by rise in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia

WASHINGTON

The U.S. voiced concern Wednesday to the UN's Yemen envoy over a recent uptick in Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Martin Griffiths for his efforts to end the Yemen conflict but "expressed concern over the recent increase in Iranian-supported Houthi attacks into Saudi territory that exacerbate the conflict and deepen mistrust," the State Department said.

"The Secretary and the Special Envoy agreed that parties must continue working toward a political settlement and an end to the conflict in Yemen," spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels used a drone to strike Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia, the group’s Al-Masirah TV said Monday.

The Houthis have increasingly used drones to target southern Saudi Arabia, including Abha. Two drones previously hit the city's airport, killing at least one person and wounding more than 30.

Yemen has been beset by violence and chaos since 2014, when Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa.

The crisis escalated in 2015 when a Saudi-led military coalition launched a devastating air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi territorial gains.