USA: "Iran's support for Yemen's Houthis is lethal"

US special envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking says fighting in Marib is 'the single biggest threat to peace efforts'.

Iran's support for Yemen's Houthi movement is "quite significant and it's lethal" and there is no real evidence that Tehran wants to support a constructive resolution to the conflict, Lenderking told U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday.

"We would welcome Iran playing a constructive role, if they are willing to do so," Lenderking said. "We have not seen any indication of that."

Unfortunately all of this is working to very strong effects as we see more and more attacks on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - and potentially other countries - more accuracy and more lethality. So this is a great concern to us," Lenderking told a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee hearing.

Lenderking also said that it has been difficult to halt ships bearing weapons from Iran to Houthis in Yemen, and that the U.S. needs more international assistance in doing so.

He also described the increase in Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia is a "very disturbing trend."

Fighting has intensified in recent days as the Houthis push their offensive to take Marib, which if successful would strengthen the movement's hand in any future political negotiations.