Dubai: Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned the United Nations’ decision to give $14 million in aid to the Al Houthi-controlled Ministry of Education.

Riyadh says the ministry is an affiliate of Al Houthi militias which are planting thousands of landmines inside Yemen and on its border with Saudi Arabia.

Such support is unjustifiable and unacceptable, a statement by the Saudi Press Agency read.

According to SPA, the Iran-backed rebels which have allied with ousted Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, have planted a whopping 50,000 landmines on its border with Saudi Arabia, tens of thousands more in populated Yemeni cities and villages and naval mines in the Red Sea — also near the Saudi border.

Saudi Arabia expressed “surprise and regret” that such facts were not taken into consideration before the recommendation was made by the UN committee to make the cash donation.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Yemen Matthew H. Tueller has said that Washington was “fully aware” of Iran’s meddling in the internal affairs of Yemen.

The US, in collaboration with the international community, is determined to deal seriously with the Iranian interferences, he said during a meeting with Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmad Bin Dagher.

He reiterated his country’s support for restoring the legitimate presidency of Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi which was important to “protecting the country’s stability and unity”.

Tueller praised the successes of the Yemeni army in liberating the territory from rebel control.

Earlier this week Saudi Arabia accused Iran of blocking peace efforts in Yemen.

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir accused Tehran of smuggling arms to Yemen’s Al Houthi rebels, who control northern Yemen, and to Saleh.

“Iran is destroying all attempts to find a solution in Yemen, which has led to the failure of all political negotiations between the government and these militias,” Al Jubeir told a gathering in the Saudi capital of foreign ministers and military officials from countries including Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Senegal.

“These militias would not have continued operations without the support of the greatest sponsor of terrorism in the world — the Iranian regime,” Al Jubeir said.

The Yemen war has claimed more than 8,600 lives.

Saudi Arabia, joined the Yemeni government’s fight against the rebels in 2015.

A cholera outbreak has also claimed more than 2,100 lives since April as hospitals struggle to secure supplies amid a blockades on ports and the country’s main international airport.

The United Nations has warned Yemen now stands on the brink of famine.

Two weeks ago US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Gulf officials in the Saudi capital for talks that largely focused on Iran’s role across the region.

Hadi came to power in early 2012 after massive Arab Spring protests ousted Saleh.

In 2014, an Al Houthi-led coup placed Hadi under house arrest.

Hadi was able to escape and has since shifted government headquarters to the southern port city of Aden from where he has led an offensive to liberate Al Houthi-occupied territories.

With help from the Saudi-led Arab coalition, the Yemeni army has achieved widespread gains in many provinces, but Al Houthis still control the capital, Sana’a, and most northern provinces including Hodeida, Ibb, Mahweet, Yareem, Amran, Baydha and Hajja.