MOSCOW, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Recent airstrikes against Houthi military sites in Yemen by the United States and Britain pose a direct threat to global peace and security, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday.
"We call on the international community to strongly condemn the attack that was carried out by a group of countries without a mandate from the United Nations," Zakharova said during her weekly briefing.
"We share the concerns that have been expressed by our regional partners, in particular Saudi Arabia, and call for intensified international efforts to prevent a further escalation of the situation," she added.
Zakharova said Moscow strongly condemns such actions, which are both illegal and irresponsible.
She noted that a large-scale military escalation in the Red Sea region could offset the positive trends that have recently emerged in the Yemeni settlement process, and undermine stability in the Middle East.
The United States and Britain launched several airstrikes on Houthi military sites around the Yemeni capital Sanaa before dawn Friday, according to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency. ■
