ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia stressed the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea region on Friday, urging restraint and the avoidance of escalation as the US and UK carried out strikes on multiple targets inside Yemen belonging to the Houthi rebel group.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is closely monitoring with great concern the military operations taking place in the Red Sea region and the airstrikes that several locations in the Republic of Yemen have been subjected to," the Foreign Ministry stated in a statement.

It called for “restraint and avoiding escalation in light of what the region is witnessing.”

The Al-Masirah TV channel, which is affiliated with the Houthi group, announced that the Yemeni capital Sanaa has been subjected to "American and British aggression."

Separately, the Saba news agency, which is also affiliated with the Houthis, reported that US and UK aircraft carried out airstrikes on Sanaa and Al Hudaydah, Sa’ada and Dhamar governorates.

The attack comes hours after the leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, warned that anyone risking military action against his country would "pay the price," emphasizing that any American aggression "will never go unanswered.”