Iran condemns US-UK strikes on Yemen as violation of international law

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Mar 2025 23:35
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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei accused the US and the UK of facilitating "genocide against the Palestinian people" and attempting to stifle global solidarity with Palestinians.

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In this photo taken from video released by Ansar Allah Media Office via Al Masirah TV channel shows a wounded child being taken for treatment at a hospital in Saada, Yemen, Saturday, March 15, 2025 following airstrikes over multiple targets in the country. (AP)

Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the recent US and UK military strikes on Yemen, calling them a violation of international law and an attack on Yemen's sovereignty. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei issued a statement on Sunday, denouncing the airstrikes as a "flagrant violation" of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles governing the use of force.

The military action, ordered by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, was described by Washington as a "decisive and powerful" response to Yemeni forces. The strikes hit Sanaa and Marib, key Resistance-controlled areas, with the Health Ministry reporting 31 dead and 101 injured.

Beyond Yemen, Iran sees the attacks as part of a broader Western strategy to back "Israel's" ongoing aggression on Gaza. In his statement, Baghaei accused the US and the UK of facilitating "genocide against the Palestinian people" and attempting to stifle global solidarity with Palestinians.

"This is a continuation of their unwavering support for the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people and an attempt to suppress any form of solidarity with and advocacy for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian nation," he said.

Baghaei urged the international community to take immediate action, saying governments and human rights organizations have a "legal and moral responsibility to confront the continued genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine."

Yemen's response: Attack on US aircraft carrier

Iran's condemnation came as Yemen's Armed Forces retaliated against US military action by launching an attack on the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and its escort ships in the northern Red Sea. The Yemeni military said the operation involved 18 ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones.

The escalation follows 47 US airstrikes on multiple Yemeni provinces, including Saada, al-Bayda, Hajjah, Dhamar, Marib, and al-Jawf. Yemeni military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the US was committing massacres against civilians, as dozens were reported killed or injured.

Trump's threats and US military response

Trump justified the airstrikes, stating that if Yemen's forces continued their attacks on Israeli-linked commercial vessels and US warships, they would face overwhelming retaliation.

"The Houthi attack on American vessels will not be tolerated. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Reports indicate that the US targeted radars, air defenses, and missile systems in dozens of locations across Yemen, while Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that US-UK coalition airstrikes also hit residential neighborhoods, causing further civilian casualties.