Baghdad, March 17 : Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani has emphasised that de-escalation and dialogue are the most effective paths to resolving crises in a region as sensitive and vital as the Middle East.

He made the remarks on Sunday amid rising tensions following US military strikes on Yemen's Houthi group, Xinhua news agency reported.

During a phone conversation with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, al-Sudani stressed that this approach represents Iraq's consistent position in addressing regional challenges, affirming that Iraq will continue to act in accordance with this principle, according to a statement by al-Sudani's media office.

For his part, Hegseth reviewed developments related to military operations in Yemen, noting that the US will continue its operations unless the Houthi group stops its attacks on US forces and its disruptions to Red Sea navigation, the statement said.

Both sides also underscored the importance of continued security cooperation within the US-led international coalition to combat the Islamic State (IS) extremist group, the statement said, adding that al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to protecting international coalition advisors.

Their discussions also addressed "regional security dynamics, particularly the concerning situation in Syria, as both sides expressed their determination to prevent the IS in Syria from posing any threat," the statement noted.

The US will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end attacks on shipping, the US Defense Secretary said on Sunday, as the Iran-aligned group signaled it could escalate in response to deadly US strikes on Saturday.

The airstrikes, which the Houthi-run Health Ministry said killed at least 53 people, are the biggest US military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said on Sunday that his militants would target US ships in the Red Sea as long as the US continues its attacks on Yemen.

"If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation," he said in a televised speech.

The Houthi movement's political bureau described the attacks as a "war crime", while Moscow urged Washington to cease the strikes.

The Houthis' military spokesperson on Sunday said, without offering evidence, that the group had targeted US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman and its warships in the Red Sea with ballistic missiles and drones in response to the US attacks.

/IANS