Adel al-Jubeir: We consider the missile attack as a declaration of war by Iran

Adel al-Jubeir, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, stated that the recent missile attack on Riyadh International Airport is considered a declaration of war by Iran, and that a suitable response will be given at an appropriate time. The missile attack on the capital of Saudi Arabia occurred on Saturday, which was intercepted by Saudi defensive forces in the sky above Riyadh Airport. The Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for this attack, but Mr. Jubeir emphasized in an interview with CNN on Monday, November 6, that Iran was involved in this incident. The Saudi Foreign Minister stated, 'This was an Iranian missile, and Hezbollah launched it from areas in Yemen that the Houthis have occupied.' He then referred to Article 51 of the UN Charter, which grants countries the right to military self-defense, stating, 'We consider this a declaration of war. Iran cannot bombard Saudi cities and villages and expect us to take no action.' According to the Saudi Foreign Minister, the missile launched at Riyadh Airport was manufactured in Iran, smuggled to Yemen by the Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, reassembled with their help, and ultimately fired at Saudi Arabia. Previously, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards had rejected this accusation, stating that 'it is impossible to transfer missiles to Yemen,' and that the missile fired belonged to the Ansar Allah group, composed of Houthi rebels. However, the Kayhan newspaper, which operates under the supervision of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic and is considered one of the closest media outlets to the Revolutionary Guards, welcomed the missile attack on Saudi Arabia in its Monday issue and warned that 'Dubai is the next target,' referring to one of the most important cities in the United Arab Emirates, which is part of the military coalition against the Houthi rebels. Adel al-Jubeir continued his remarks by saying, 'We reserve the right to respond appropriately at an appropriate time. This act is very, very hostile. Since 1979, we have extended a hand of friendship to Iran, but in return, we have received threats of death and destruction.' These accusations prompted a response from Mohammad Javad Zarif, the Iranian Foreign Minister, who, in several tweets on Monday, called Saudi Arabia a factor of instability in the region and denied Iran's role in the missile attack. In one of his tweets, he wrote, 'Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemen to the ground, killing thousands of innocents, including infants, causing the spread of cholera and famine, yet blames Iran.' Another tweet had a similar theme: 'Saudi Arabia is engaged in aggressive wars, bullying in the region, destabilizing behaviors, and provocative and dangerous actions, and blames Iran for the consequences of these actions.' Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson had described the accusations against Tehran as 'unjust, irresponsible, destructive, and provocative.' In this context, Iran rejected the regional coalition's accusations regarding the missile launch from Yemen. The Saudi coalition accused Iran of 'military aggression' following the missile launch from Yemen. A phone conversation between Trump and the King of Saudi Arabia regarding the destruction of Houthi missiles was reported, and Saudi Arabia has destroyed 'a missile fired from Yemen' near Riyadh.