Saudi Arabia has firmly rejected a Wall Street Journal report claiming that Yemen’s Iran backed Houthi militia demanded $51 billion from the Kingdom to stop its cross-border attacks. Riyadh called the report “pure fabrication” and dismissed its central claims outright.
The newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, that Saudi officials had approached the Houthis to ask what it would take for them to end attacks across Saudi borders. According to the report, the militia allegedly sought $51 billion and recognition as Yemen’s rulers in exchange for halting hostilities, reported by Arab News.
But Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for public diplomacy, rejected the claims in a post on X. “I categorically deny the claims published by The Wall Street Journal regarding demands made by this militia,” he wrote. “All of this is pure fabrication by the writers or their alleged sources.”
Krimly accused the Houthis of turning against Yemen’s internationally recognised government, worsening hunger among Yemenis and dragging the country into conflicts that do not serve its people. He said the group had attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea, civilian and economic targets, and rejected peace efforts.
The Saudi official also shared a screenshot of the report alongside a post by veteran journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall, who criticised the reporting and questioned the credibility of one of its journalists.
In Riyadh, Osama Ghanem Al-Obaidy, a professor of international law, backed the government’s position. He said Saudi Arabia had consistently prioritised Yemeni interests, while accusing the Houthis of threatening regional security, attacking vessels and targeting civilian infrastructure, including airports and energy facilities.
The denial came as Saudi air defences reported new Houthi attacks. Major General Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, said a drone was intercepted and destroyed over Makkah, while two ballistic missiles aimed at Najran were also shot down. He said debris from the interceptions had fallen and damage was being assessed.
The exchange highlights the fragile state of diplomacy around Yemen’s long war. As Saudi Arabia rejects the reported demands, fighting continues and the gap between negotiation and confrontation remains wide.
