U.S.-Britain strikes against Yemen's Houthis to complicate regional circumstances: expert

TEHRAN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The recent U.S.-Britain airstrikes against Yemen's Houthis would worsen the regional situation and expand the scope of the conflict there, an Iranian analyst has said.

The strikes hit the capital Sanaa and other areas where the Houthis have military sites.

The United States and Britain said they were responding to the rebels' attacks on Israeli vessels in the Red Sea in recent weeks, while the Houthis said they attacked the ships to show solidarity with the Palestinians and to pressure Israel to end its attacks on Gaza.

Hassan Beheshtipour, a Tehran-based international affairs analyst, told Xinhua that the U.S.-British strikes would not stop the Houthis from continuing their operations and could provoke retaliation from their allies.

According to the expert, the Houthis would likely take actions resisting the United States and Britain.

Instead of siding with Israel and attacking the Houthis, the United States should pressure Israel to stop its aggression on Gaza, Beheshtipour said.

The U.S.-Britain strikes also violated international law and the sovereignty of Yemen, which has been suffering from a humanitarian crisis for years, Beheshtipour added.

He urged the international community to condemn the attacks and support a peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Yemen and Gaza based on dialogue and respect for the rights of the people.