Russia and China have accused the US of acting unilaterally by “illegally” targeting military sites used by Houthi rebels. Such actions, they said, were not countenanced by the UN Security Council which has not authorised military action.
Both Moscow and Beijing have also accused the US last month of unilateral action when the US struck targets in Iraq and Syria. This came after a drone attack killed three US soldiers in a US base in Jordan.
The US claims it is making the region safe and said it is the Houthi attacks that are illegal as they are endangering world shipping. They termed their actions as “proportionate” and “legal” and were being taken in self-defense.
Houthi rebels have targeted ships in the Red Sea since last November. They claim that they are protesting the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza by targeting Israeli-owned ships. But they have also targeted ships with no link to Israel.
According to AP, US deputy ambassador Robert Wood stated that the Houthis were “trying to apply a chokehold on global shipping through the Red Sea.” He claimed the rebel group was being funded by Iran and urged all countries “to press Iran’s leaders to rein in the Houthis and stop these lawless attacks.”
UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and the US and UK attacks on Houthi targets, and the US designation of the Houthis as a “Specially Designated Terrorist Group” are “concerning.” He urged all actors in Yemen to focus on the intra-Yemeni peace process.
Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian office’s director of operations said over 18 million people – over half the country’s population – will need humanitarian aid.
