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Iran warns US, Saudi that attack on aid ship en route to Yemen will 'spark a fire'

Associated Press
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Shiite fighters, known as Houthis, wearing army uniforms escort the convoy of Ismail Weld al-Sheikh, new U.N. special envoy to Yemen, at the international airport in Sanaa, Yemen, Tuesday, May 12, 2015. Warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition kept up their airstrikes targeting the positions of Yemen's Shiite rebels and their allies around the capital, Sanaa, hours ahead of a humanitarian cease-fire set to begin on Tuesday evening. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammed) (The Associated Press)

Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash talks at the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Gargash said the Saudi-led intervention into Yemen aims to prevent the creation of a group like Hezbollah on the Arabian Peninsula. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) (The Associated Press)

Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash talks at the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Gargash said the Saudi-led intervention into Yemen aims to prevent the creation of a group like Hezbollah on the Arabian Peninsula. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) (The Associated Press)

A senior Iranian military official has warned the Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemeni rebels that attacking an Iranian aid ship bound for Yemen will "spark a fire."

Gen. Masoud Jazayeri, the deputy chief of staff, delivered the warning in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language Al-Alam state TV late Tuesday.

Iran says the ship, which departed Monday, is carrying food, medicine, tents and blankets, as well as reporters, rescue workers and peace activists. It says the ship is expected to arrive at Yemen's port city of Hodeida next week.

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have accused Iran of arming the Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis. Iran supports the rebels, but both Tehran and the Houthis deny it has provided weapons to them.