Ankara: Hitting out at the United States and the United Kingdom over the strike against Houthi military facilities in Yemen, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the two countries of using "disproportionate force" and turning the Red Sea into a "sea of blood," Anadolu Agency reported.
"They (US and UK) used force disproportionately and they are trying to turn the Red Sea into a sea of blood. Israel is doing the same in Palestine," Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul, according to TASS News Agency.
"We receive information from various sources that the Houthis have made very successful defences and provided successful responses against both the US and the UK," Anadolu quoted Erdogan as saying.
Erdogan also reacted to South Africa's 'genocide' case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, stating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "nowhere to hide" and that there is "no defence" for his actions, according to Anadolu Agency.
This comes after the US military forces, along with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands successfully carried out strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the targeted strikes were a clear message that the escalation of attacks by the Houthi rebels against commercial vessels would not be tolerated.
"Today, at my direction, US 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," President Biden said.
He further said these strikes were in direct response to "Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea, including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history."
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that the Royal Air Force has conducted targeted strikes against military facilities used by Houthi rebels in Yemen, terming it "limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence". He added that the UK will always stand up for "freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade."
"Despite the repeated warnings from the international community, the Houthis have continued to carry out attacks in the Red Sea, including against UK and US warships just this week."
"This cannot stand. The United Kingdom will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade. We have therefore taken limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence, alongside the United States and non-operational support from the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain against targets tied to these attacks, to degrade Houthi military capabilities and protect global shipping," he added.
The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, started the strikes in retaliation for Israel's Gaza conflict. The Houthis have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.
Yemen's Houthis have launched several drone and missile attacks at Israel, with most intercepted, since the war started. The Israel-Hamas war began on October 7, after thousands of Hamas terrorists crossed the border and killed scores of Israelis.
