Massive protests broke out in Yemen on Friday after US-UK air strikes targets Houthis. Thousands of people gathered in several cities to protest against the strikes.
"Your strikes on Yemen are terrorism," said Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a member of the Houthi Supreme Political Council, referring to the US. "The United States is the Devil," he added.
Since the Israel-Hamas war, regional tensions escalated in many regions. Iran-backed Houthis started attacking ships and tankers in Red Sea since the war. Several oil tankers and ships were diverted from taking the Red Sea route after the attacks.
The Houthis had warned that they would target all ships heading to Israel and urged international shipping companies against using Israeli ports.
"We did not attack the shores of America, nor did we move in the American islands, nor did we attack them. Your strikes on our country are terrorism," said Al-Houthi."They are terrorists and they are amazing at lying to the people of the world, but the awareness of the Yemeni people is a different awareness. Do you, Yemeni, think that America is defending itself or is it a terrorist?" he was quoted by Reuters.
Meanwhile, UK PM Rishi Sunak on said that his nation needed to send a "strong signal" to Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea. “They are wrong,” said Sunak.
Sunak was speaking during a visit to Ukraine.
“We won’t hesitate to protect lives and ensure the safety of commercial shipping...Our aim is very clear, it’s to de-escalate tensions and 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,” said Sunak.
Condemning the US-UK strikes, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said British strikes against Houthis in Yemen were disproportionate and the UK was trying to turn the Red Sea into a “sea of blood”.