TEHERAN: Iran on Friday denied having anything to do with attacks by Yemen's Houthis, a day after Saudi Arabia accused it of having encouraged the group's recent escalation against the kingdom.

Since Yemen's civil war flared back to life in July, the pro-Iran Houthis have repeatedly struck Saudi targets including Red Sea tankers, oil facilities and Riyadh's international airport, where 13 people were killed in a single attack last week.

A Saudi-led military coalition has supported Yemen's internationally recognised government for more than a decade, and reported on Friday having intercepted more missiles and drones as the kingdom comes under sustained attack from the Houthis.

A day earlier, a Saudi foreign ministry official said Iran had "encouraged" the escalation, which Tehran denied.