Yemen

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the arbitrary detention of at least 11 staff members in Yemen on Sunday by the de facto Houthi authorities in areas under their control. He said the Houthis entered the premises of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the capital, Sana’a, and seized UN property, in addition to attempting to enter other UN premises in the city.

Yemen's Houthi rebel movement has confirmed that its self-proclaimed Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi was killed in an Israeli air strike earlier this week.

Israel has carried out air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, in response to the group's missile attack on Friday which Israel said carried cluster munitions.

The United Nations mediator for Yemen urged the Security Council today to support efforts to de-escalate fighting towards a nationwide ceasefire, advance political talks and economic stabilization, and work with regional and international partners to prevent the country from being drawn deeper into the Middle East conflict.

The Security Council on Monday renewed the mandate of the UN mission in Yemen’s key port city of Hudaydah, as regional tensions spike and international concern mounts over recent Houthi rebel attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. Adopted unanimously, the resolution extending the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) until 28 January 2026, underscores the Mission’s critical role in maintaining fragile stability amid signs of renewed military escalation and deepening humanitarian need.

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Wednesday for a deadly attack that sank a merchant vessel earlier this week, their second attack on Red Sea shipping in 24 hours as they resumed their campaign in the key waterway. 

Israeli forces struck Yemen’s rebel-held port of Hodeida on Tuesday, the latest attack targeting the Iran-backed Houthis which Israel’s military said was followed by a missile launched at its territory.

As June marks one year since the arbitrary detention of dozens of personnel from the UN, NGOs, civil society organizations and diplomatic missions by the Houthi de facto authorities in Yemen, the UN Secretary-General has reiterated his call for their release, urging they be freed “immediately and unconditionally.”

The ceasefire between the United States and Houthi rebels in Yemen provides an opportunity to revitalize the peace process in the Middle Eastern country, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday. Ambassadors were briefed by the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, who commended Oman for its efforts to achieve the agreement which came into effect on 6 May.

The UN Secretary-General has expressed grave concern over US airstrikes in and around Yemen’s port of Ra’s Isa this week, which reportedly resulted in scores of civilian casualties. At least five humanitarian workers were said to be among those injured, and significant damage was reported to port infrastructure. There are also fears of oil leaks into the Red Sea, raising environmental concerns.