Following strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen by the US and UK, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for “restraint.”
It also called for escalation to be avoided.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is following with great concern the military operations taking place in the Red Sea and the raids on a number of sites in the Republic of Yemen,” it wrote in a statement.
The attack on Friday was the first time strikes have been launched against the Iran-backed group since it started targeting international shipping in the Red Sea late last year.
Aside U.S and UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands were involved in the military action.
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak released a statement on the military action, describing it as “limited, necessary and proportionate action in self-defence” and saying that the Netherlands, Canada and Bahrain offered “non-operational support.”
The military action against the Houthi targets were denounced.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani issued a statement saying that the country strongly condemns the US-Britain attack on Yemen’s Houthis.
“We strongly condemn the military attacks carried out this morning by the United States and the United Kingdom on several cities in Yemen…We consider it a clear violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of international laws, regulations, and rights.”
Nasser Kanaani
Lebanon’s militant group, Hezbollah also reacted to the strikes and condemned them.
The group released a statement saying, “The American aggression confirms once again that the U.S is a full partner in the tragedies and massacres committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza and the region.”
Houthi Spokesperson, Mohammed Abdulsalam posted on X that there was no justification for the US-Britain attack on Yemen, adding that the group will continue targeting ships heading towards Israel.
In other developments, U.S politicians reacted to President Joe Biden’s order to strike the Houthi targets. Biden ordered the strikes with approval from the Congress.
Representative Ro Khanna said, “The President needs to come to Congress before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen and involving us in another Middle East conflict. That is Article I of the Constitution.”
Rep Val Hoyle asserted that the airstrikes were not authorized by Congress, adding, ” The Constitution is clear: Congress has the sole authority to authorize military involvement in overseas conflicts.”
Rep Mark Pocan stated that the United States cannot risk getting entangled into another decades-long conflict without Congressional authorization.
Rep Gregory Meeks said, “While I support these targeted, proportional military strikes, I call on the Biden Administration to continue its diplomatic efforts to avoid escalation to a broader regional war and continue to engage Congress on the details of its strategy and legal basis as required by law.”
However, U.S Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnel was in support of the action, although he said it was “overdue.”
Senator Susan Collins also said that Iran and its proxies must understand that repeated attacks on US troops and the disruption of critical sea lanes will not be tolerated.
Congressional Approval, A legal Requirement
According to Stephen Miles, President of the progressive U.S foreign policy group, Win Without War, the strikes on targets in Yemen are “at odds with both the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.”
The U.S Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war while the President, as Commander-in-chief, has the power to use the military to defend the U.S.
The War Powers Resolution, passed in 1973, was designed as a check on the US president’s ability to “initiate or escalate military actions abroad.”
“Congressional authorization isn’t some sort of courtesy, it’s a legal requirement for this kind of act,” Miles posted on social media.
He added that under the War Powers Resolution, “Presidents are required to seek authorization before knowingly introducing U.S forces into where combat may become imminent. It was written expressly for situations like this.”
Miles said that Biden “should refrain from any further military action without congressional authorization and Congress should provide urgent oversight.”
