Reactions are pouring in from the Middle East after the United States and the United Kingdom carried out strikes against Houthi targets after the Yemeni group launched attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday slammed the US and British strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen as a disproportionate use of force and accused the two countries of trying to turn the Red Sea into a "sea of blood". Turkey, a NATO member, has strongly criticized Israel for its war in Gaza and has repeatedly slammed Western countries for supporting Israel's campaign. "All that has been done is a disproportionate use of force," Erdogan said after Friday prayers in Istanbul. "At the moment, they are trying to turn the Red Sea into a sea of blood and Yemen, with the Houthis and by using all of its force, says it is and will give the necessary response in the region to the United States, Britain," he added. Unlike its Western allies, Ankara does not consider Hamas, which controls Gaza and launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, a terrorist organization. Iran "strongly slammed" the strikes, with its foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani saying that the attack "clearly breached Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and was "against international laws and regulations." Kanaani claimed that the US-UK airstrikes were an attempt to "distract" people from Israel's "crimes against the Palestinian people" in Gaza, and he added that the strikes will fuel insecurity and instability in the region. The United Arab Emirates expressed deep concern over attacks on marine navigation in the Red Sea, according to a statement. "The attacks constitute an unacceptable threat to international trade, security of the region, and international interests. "The UAE stresses the importance of protecting the security of the region, as well as the interests of its countries and peoples, within the framework of laws and international norms," the statement said. The UAE did not name the Houthis or refer to the US-UK strikes on Yemen last night. Kuwait is following developments in the region "with great concern," its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. It said it understood the significance of "maintaining security and stability in the Red Sea area and securing freedom of navigation in all vital waterways," but also stressed immediate de-escalation "to avoid any dangers that may threaten freedom of navigation in that region, on which most countries of the world depend." Jordan also expressed "concern" regarding the developments in the Red Sea, according to a post by Jordan's state-run Petra news agency. The airstrikes targeting Houthis in Yemen were an act of "self-defense," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Friday. "Our aim is very clear. It's to de-escalate tensions and to restore stability to the region. That's why allies over the past few weeks have issued several statements of condemnation of what's happening, calling on the Houthis to desist," Sunak told journalists during a visit to Kyiv, Ukraine. He also noted the United Nations Security Council resolution that condemned Houthis' attacks in the Red Sea, "saying that states have a right to self-defense. We have acted in self-defense." The joint US-UK strikes on Houthi targets Thursday night marked a dramatic escalation in the West's response to weeks' worth of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. It also drew a harsh response from the Houthis, who quickly launched retaliatory strikes. The strikes killed five and wounded six others, according to the Houthi rebels' military spokesperson, Yahya Sare'e, on Friday. The Houthi spokesperson also said that they would continue attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea, with its leader calling the strikes "barbaric." Houthi forces launched retaliatory attacks on US and UK warships in the Red Sea after strikes by the US and its partners, a senior member of the group claimed early Friday. Meanwhile, the Houthi deputy foreign minister warned the US and Britain would face severe repercussions for what he termed a blatant act of aggression. — Agencies
