Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan slammed US 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”, Reuters reports.

Turkey, a NATO member, has strongly criticised Israel for its onslaught in Gaza aimed at wiping out Palestinian militant group Hamas, and has repeatedly slammed Western countries for supporting Israel’s campaign.

Asked by reporters about the overnight air and sea strikes by US 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.

“All that has been done is a disproportionate use of force,” Erdogan said.

“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,” he added.