ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The internationally recognized government of Yemen issued a statement on Friday strongly condemning recent military actions by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea near the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
In a press statement released by the state-run Saba news agency, the government said it is "following with great concern the military escalation in the country, particularly in the Red Sea, by the Houthi rebels."
It referred to a recent military operation carried out by the United States and its allies against Houthi-controlled Yemeni areas, saying it came as a response to the "Houthi militias' continued targeting and threatening the security and safety of international navigation in the Red Sea."
It blamed the Houthis for "dragging the country into a military confrontation arena for propaganda purposes" and "misleadingly linking it to support for Palestinians."
The government reaffirmed its sovereign right to enhance security in the Red Sea region, saying stability there and globally "cannot be achieved except by restoring the legitimate state institutions in Yemen."
While reaffirming its support for the Palestinian cause, the Yemeni government warned that "the Israeli aggression in occupied territories risks further destabilizing the region and threatening international peace and security."
Earlier on Friday, the United States together with Britain and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, launched a series of strikes on Houthi targets in the Yemeni capital city of Sanaa and other provinces under the group's control.
In a defiant response, the Houthis declared that it would not allow the aggressors to escape punishment, and "all American and British interests have become legitimate targets."
For several weeks, the Houthi group has intensified military operations in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, targeting commercial ships "in connecting with Israel" with armed boats, drones, and sea missiles, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Houthis have controlled the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen since ousting the internationally recognized government in 2014. The conflict has drawn in a Saudi-led coalition fighting on the side of the government. ■
