TASS, January 18. Yemen has warned the European Union against deploying a naval task force in the Red Sea, calling it a security threat to the countries of the region, Houthi-owned TV channel Al Masirah reported.

According to the Yemeni foreign service, the establishment of a naval alliance of EU countries in the Red Sea "sends a negative message" to the countries located in this region of the world and represents a violation of International law by the bloc. The statement stressed that the creation of the naval task force is consistent with the efforts of Washington and London to form a hostile military alliance in the region. Such actions risk "militarizing the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait," jeopardizing peace and security, the statement reads.

As previously reported, EU member states intend to send at least three destroyers or frigates with sophisticated air defense systems to the Red Sea in accordance with the naval mission to ensure the safety of ships. This naval task force, which is expected to be put together in the coming days, is expected to cooperate with other nations' forces, which are also defending commercial ships from increased attacks by the Yemeni rebel movement "Ansar Allah" (Houthis).

Al Masirah reported that the US and Britain conducted a second series of strikes on Yemen's Houthi-controlled territory overnight. The attack struck the Dhamar, Taiz, Hodeidah and Al-Bayda provinces.

According to the TV channel, one of the strikes hit a Houthi facility in the As-Salif village, located in the Hodeidah province along the Red Sea coast.

Earlier on Thursday, the television channel reported that the US and Great Britain attacked the "Ansar Allah" controlled provinces of Dhamar, Sadah, Taiz, Hodeidah, Al-Bayda. The United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) confirmed the strikes carried out against 14 Houthi missile launching sites that "posed a direct threat to commercial ships and US Navy vessels in the region."

Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis declared they would carry out strikes on Israeli territory and prevent affiliated ships from sailing through the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave is ceased.

According to CENTCOM, the Houthis have attacked over 20 civilian vessels in the Red Sea since mid-November of last year.