EU Commission President Condemns Attacks by "Iranian Proxies" in Gulf as Tehran Denies Directing Houthis

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, condemned what she described as "ongoing attacks" carried out by groups she characterized as "Iranian proxies" in the Gulf region, according to Deutsche Welle. Her comments came in response to attacks launched by Yemeni Houthis against Saudi Arabia.

Von der Leyen did not provide additional details about the nature or scope of the attacks in question, according to the source. Her statement came amid escalating security developments in the Gulf region, where Houthi attacks on Saudi territory have continued for years.

In response, Tehran asserted that the Houthis are "completely independent" in making their own decisions, an apparent denial of any suggestion that Iran directly controls Houthi military operations or issues them directives regarding attacks on Saudi Arabia.

These competing statements reflect ongoing tensions between Iran and Western nations over Tehran's influence in the region. Gulf and Western countries accuse Iran of supporting armed groups, including the Houthis, while Tehran consistently denies exercising direct control over these groups' decisions.

The source provided no additional details about the context of the EU Commission President's statement or the occasion on which it was made, nor was there any official response from Saudi or Houthi officials to these comments.