Iran has urged rival Saudi Arabia to pursue a diplomatic solution to its escalating conflict with the Houthi militia in Yemen.

Iran warned that continued military action would only worsen the situation.

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, during a telephone call that “Insisting on a military approach and disregarding a political solution would only further complicate the situation”.

Iran said it was prepared to “provide any form of support” to help initiate talks.

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-allied Houthi militia escalated sharply over the weekend.

More than a dozen people were killed and hundreds injured in the most serious attack to date on Riyadh’s international airport, according to officials.

The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned that Saudi airports and airspace were “legitimate targets”.

The militia said it had launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones at airports and energy facilities, including sites belonging to state-owned oil giant Aramco.

The Houthis also accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out more than 120 airstrikes on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, and other provinces within 24 hours. The claims could not be independently verified.

The Houthis have been fighting the Saudi-backed internationally recognised government in Yemen for more than a decade.

A truce reached in 2022 largely froze the conflict, but fighting has flared again against the backdrop of the wider war involving Iran.

(dpa/NAN)