Erdogan accuses West of trying to turn Red Sea into 'sea of blood'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the U.S. and British strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen as a disproportionate use of force and accused the two countries of trying to turn the Red Sea into a "sea of blood".

Asked by reporters about the overnight air and sea strikes by U.S. and British forces across Yemen in retaliation against Iran-backed Houthi forces for attacks on Red Sea shipping, the Turkish president said these were not proportionate.

"At the moment, they are trying to turn the Red Sea into a sea of blood and Yemen, with the Houthis and by using all of its force, says it is and will give the necessary response in the region to the United States, Britain," Erdogan said.