NEWS CENTER – The USA and the UK have hit targets belonging to the Houthis, who have been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent weeks, in order to show "solidarity" with the Palestinians. While Iran and Russia reacted to the attack, China and Saudi Arabia called for "restraint".

 

Following the actions of Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen against commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in response to Israel's attacks on Gaza, the USA and the UK hit targets belonging to the Houthis. US and British warplanes carried out air strikes on some points in Yemen's Sanaa, Hudaydah and Taiz cities at night.

 

Some American officials who made a statement to the American media stated that the US and UK army forces hit at least 12 Houthi targets and that the attacks were carried out with warplanes and Tomahawk missiles.

 

BIDEN: A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE

 

US 

 

President Joe Biden made a written statement regarding the air strikes targeting the Houthis, who continue their attacks in the Red Sea. Biden said in his statement: " Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces, together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most vital waterways.

 

Stating that the attacks were a direct retaliation for the Houthis' actions in the Red Sea, Biden noted that they responded with the international coalition to a series of attacks, the last of which took place on January 9, in which the Houthis directly targeted American ships. Drawing attention to both the naval power established in the region under the leadership of the USA and the approach of the international public against the Houthis, Biden reminded the decision taken in the United Nations Security Council the previous day, calling for the Houthis to end their attacks.

 

Biden said: "These targeted strikes are a clear message that the United States and our partners will not tolerate attacks on our personnel or allow hostile actors to imperil freedom of navigation in one of the world’s most critical commercial routes." and emphasized that he will not hesitate to take further measures if necessary.

 

SUNAK: WE HAVE THEEFOR TAKEN LIMITED

 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also stated that his country's air force targeted the military facilities used by the Houthis in Yemen and said: "We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States with non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping.”

 

NEW THREAT FROM THE HOUTHIS

 

Houthi television channel Al-Massirah announced that air strikes were carried out on Yemen's capital Sanaa and the Houthi-controlled cities of Hudaydah and Saada.

 

Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Ezzi said: "Our country is facing a major attack by American and British ships, submarines and aircraft. The United States and Great Britain must be prepared to pay a heavy price and suffer the severe consequences of this attack."

 

Mohammed Abdul Salam, spokesperson for the Houthis in Yemen, said: "There is no justification for this attack against Yemen and the target was and will remain Israeli ships going to ports in occupied Palestine."

 

IRAN REACTED

 

Iran, condemned the attacks by the USA and the UK. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kenani, in his statement to the Nournews news portal, described the attacks of the USA and the UK as "arbitrary" and said: "We see this (attacks) as a clear violation of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity and international laws."

 

RUSSIA CALLED UNSC TO AN EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

 

Russia called an extraordinary meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) after the attacks. The UNSC is expected to meet in the afternoon. In her statement, Russian Foreign Minister Spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the US attacks on Yemen as "a new example of the Anglo-Saxons perverting the UN Security Council resolutions."

Zakharova stated that the attacks showed "complete disregard for international law" and "escalated the situation in the region."

 

CHINA AND SUUDI ARABIA ARE WORRIED

 

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning also stated that China is concerned about the escalation of tension in the Red Sea due to the attack from the USA and England.

Ning called on relevant parties to remain calm and exercise restraint to prevent the conflict from spreading.

 

SAUDI ARABIA

 

Saudi Arabia announced that they were following the developments in Yemen "with concern" and called for "restraint". In the statement made by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was stated that the Kingdom "follows the military operations in the Red Sea and the air strikes on some regions in Yemen with great concern" and called for "avoiding escalation of tension".