DUBAI, January 12. /TASS/. Iran condemned the strikes carried out by the United States and Great Britain on positions held by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) rebel movement in Yemen as a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.

The attacks carried out this morning by the United States and the United Kingdom on several cities in Yemen were "a clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international laws," the Iranian Foreign Ministry quoted Kanaani as saying on its Telegram channel. According to the senior Iranian diplomat, such actions on the part of Washington and London would only destabilize further the situation in the region.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson accused the United States and Great Britain of attempts to distract global attention from "the crimes being committed [by Israel] against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip." He also called on the international community to prevent any further escalation or instability in the region.

Last night, the armed forces of the United States and the United Kingdom delivered air strikes on positions held by the Ansar Allah (Houthi) rebel movement in several Yemeni cities, using aircraft, warships and submarines. US President Joe Biden said the military action was ordered in response to "unprecedented Houthi attacks" on shipping in the Red Sea and that the strikes, targeting Houthi munitions depots, launching systems, production facilities, and air defense radar systems, were delivered in self-defense.

After the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis warned that they would launch strikes on Israeli territory while barring ships associated with the Jewish state from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceased its military operation against Palestinian radical group Hamas in the embattled enclave. According to estimates by the US Defense Department’s Central Command (CENTCOM), the Yemeni rebel group has attacked more than 20 vessels and civilian ships in the Red Sea since mid-November.