Iran condemns airstrikes by U.S., Britain on Yemen

TEHRAN, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) — Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday strongly condemned airstrikes by the United States and Britain on Yemen’s capital Sanaa and Saada province.
He made the remarks in a statement released by the ministry one day after Yemen’s Houthi group reported that U.S. and British aircraft had conducted six raids on Sanaa and nine on the country’s northern Saada province.
Baghaei described the airstrikes as “flagrant violations of the United Nations Charter and international law regulations” prohibiting the use of force against other countries and urging respect for other countries’ territorial integrity.
He added the air raids by the United States and Britain against Yemen, concurrent with the continuation of their arms and political support for Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza and killing of people in Lebanon, were clear proof of their complicity and partnership with Israel in its “crimes.”
Since November last year, the Houthi group has been conducting missile and drone attacks on what it said were “Israeli-linked” ships in regional waters and beyond, as well as targets in Israel, to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid their conflict with Israelis.
In response, the U.S.-British naval coalition stationed in the region has since January conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group. ■