On Sunday, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen stormed a UN office, taking at least 11 staff members hostage. The following day, they targeted Israeli-owned oil tankers with missiles. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted airstrikes on Thursday, resulting in the deaths of several senior Houthi leaders, including “Prime Minister” Ahmed al-Rahawi.
A spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF noted that the Houthi “security agency” invaded their offices in Sana’a, which has been under Houthi control since 2014.
The Houthi forces questioned employees in parking lots, leading to the detention of 11 staff members. UN officials indicated that the Houthis “seized documents and other materials from the UN office.”
Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the WFP, labeled the attack “unacceptable,” adding that they had confiscated and destroyed UN property as well as arbitrarily detained nine WFP employees.
The WFP stated they are conducting a “comprehensive head count” of employees in Houthi territory to check if additional staff have been detained.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the actions against WFP and UNICEF officials on Sunday, calling the detentions “arbitrary.” He also denounced the forced entry into the UN facilities and the seizure of property.
Guterres urged for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained UN staff and workers from international and local NGOs, emphasizing that officials from the UN should never be targeted while executing their duties.
This incident isn’t the first of its kind, as Houthi forces have previously harassed UN agencies and detained personnel. The UN had to suspend operations in Houthi-controlled regions of northern Yemen after the detention of over 60 UN employees in June, with the Houthis alleging these individuals had connections to “American and Israeli espionage.”
UN envoy Hans Grundberg remarked that the recent detentions add to the existing number of 23 UN officials currently in custody, along with others held since 2021. He pointed out that the arbitrary detention of UN staff, NGO workers, and civil representatives continues to impede broader efforts to foster support and peace in Yemen.
According to Grundberg, the work of UN officials relies on principles like neutrality and humanity, and the arrests starkly violate the obligation to protect their safety and dignity while they perform their essential tasks in Yemen.
On Monday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on a tanker identified as Israeli-owned, the Scarlet Ray, using missiles. The ship, flagged in Liberia, is managed by Singapore-based Eastern Pacific Shipping and owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Offer, who has significantly developed Israel’s shipping industry.
This assault occurred alarmingly close to the Saudi Arabian coastline, with the Scarlet Ray located just 40 miles from the port of Yanbu. Although the Houthis have previously conducted several attacks on ships in the Red Sea, this was notably near Saudi territory.
A statement on Monday reassured that the Scarlet Ray remained undamaged and was continuing operations under the command of its crew, despite the reports of it being targeted.
