World Bulletin / News Desk

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has discussed by phone the military offensive against Houthi militants in Yemen with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

Erdogan said the international community was concerned over the events taking place in Yemen and said the unity, safety and stability of the country was at risk, presidential sources in Ankara said on Friday. 

Salman shared information with the Turkish President about the military operation and airstrikes launched by Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies against Houthi positions in Yemen.

Yemen has been in turmoil since last September when the Houthi militants overran the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, from which they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.

Five Gulf States – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait said they started the operation "in response to a request by Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to protect Yemen from the aggression of Houthi militias".

Some Gulf States also accuse Shiite Iran of supporting the Houthi insurgency.