Saudi Arabia called for restraint and “avoiding escalation” in light of the air strikes launched by the United States and Britain against sites linked to the Houthi movement in Yemen, the kingdom’s foreign ministry said, Reuters reports.

Saudi Arabia, which has in recent months engaged in peace talks with Yemen’s Houthis, was closely monitoring the situation with “great concern,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The kingdom emphasises the importance of maintaining the security and stability of the Red Sea region, as the freedom of navigation in it is an international demand,” the ministry added.