Here are some of the international reactions to the most recent escalation in the region.
Members of the Yemen Coast Guard patrol the Red Sea [File: AFP]
The United States and the United Kingdom launched a series of strikes on Yemen against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels who have been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, who support Palestinian group Hamas, called the attacks “barbaric” and warned they will continue to target ships heading towards Israel. There was no comment yet from Israel.
Here are some of the international reactions to the attack, which threatens to further inflame tensions in the region.
Iran
“The attacks are happening in an effort to extend the full support of the US and UK in approximately the past 100 days for the war crimes of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people and the besieged citizens of Gaza,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said: “These attacks are a clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international laws.”
Hezbollah
The Lebanese group, Hezbollah, which is an ally of Iran and the Houthis, said the US aggression confirms that Washington is in a “full partnership” with Israel.
“The US is a full partner in the tragedies and massacres committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza and the region,” a statement from the group said.
Hamas
Condemning the strikes, Hamas said in a statement that the US and UK governments will bear responsibility for their attack’s impacts on the security of the region.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad
The Gaza-based Palestinian group Islamic Jihad has said that the escalation confirms that the US administration is “waging a war of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
“We call on the people of the Arab and Islamic nation to take action in rejection of the aggression against Yemen, which rose up in defence of Gaza and the holy places of Muslims in Palestine.”
Saudi Arabia
The foreign ministry called for restraint and “avoiding escalation” after the strikes and said it was monitoring the situation with “great concern”.
“The kingdom emphasizes the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea region, as the freedom of navigation in it is an international demand,” it said.
Russia
Russia said the strikes violate international law and wrongly take advantage of a United Nations Security Council resolution that had demanded the Houthis stop their attacks on shipping lanes.
“The US air strikes on Yemen are another example of the Anglo-Saxons’ perversion of UN Security Council resolutions,” said Maria Zakharova, the foreign ministry spokesperson.
Zakharova said the strikes showed a “complete disregard for international law” and were “escalating the situation in the region”.
France
France reaffirmed its condemnation of Houthi strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, calling for an immediate stop to them.
“With those armed actions, the Houthis bear the extremely serious responsibility of the escalation in the region,” the French foreign affairs ministry said in a statement.
Germany
Germany’s foreign office said the strikes were meant to prevent further attacks. “Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea,” the ministry posted on X.
The Netherlands
“The US-British action is based on the right of self-defence, aims to protect free passage and is focused on de-escalation. The Netherlands, with its long history as a sea-faring country, places significant importance on the right of free passage and supports this targeted operation,” said Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Denmark
Denmark fully supports the US and British strikes, according to a statement by Danish foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.
US Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell
McConnell welcomed the US-led coalition’s operations against “the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists responsible for violently disrupting international commerce in the Red Sea and attacking American vessels”.
“President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue. I am hopeful these operations mark an enduring shift in the Biden administration’s approach to Iran and its proxies,” he said.
Democratic US Representative Ro Khanna
Khanna said that President Joe Biden “needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another Middle East conflict”.
“That is Article I of the Constitution. I will stand up for that regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in the White House.”
Democratic US Representative Val Hoyle
Hoyle stressed that “the air strikes have not been authorised by Congress”.
“The Constitution is clear – Congress has the sole authority to authorize military involvement in overseas conflicts. Every president must first come to Congress and ask for military authorisation, regardless of party.”
