Houthis Undermining Regional, International Peace Efforts in Yemen, Says Delegate, Calling on Security Council to Pave Way towards Political Solution

Houthis Undermining Regional, International Peace Efforts in Yemen, Says Delegate, Calling on Security Council to Pave Way towards Political Solution

The conflict in Yemen has become increasingly internationalized, with the escalating cycle of strikes and counter-strikes hindering the prospects of peace, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, warning that the improved security conditions for civilians that have existed since the 2022 truce could be lost.

Detailing the conflict, Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, said Ansar Allah is intensifying its strikes in Israel and continuing attacks in the Red Sea, prompting retaliatory strikes by the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Israel on Yemen. Recent Israeli air strikes have damaged critical civilian infrastructure, including Sana'a International Airport and the port of Hudaydah, which impacts the ability to unload humanitarian aid.

"We need immediate de-escalation and genuine engagement for peace," he stated, adding that almost 40 million Yemenis "have waited far too long". While regional tensions dominate the headlines, there has been escalation along several front lines. In one tragic incident in Taiz Governorate, two children were killed, and two others were injured, in an attack west of Taiz city, he said, stressing that such attacks must cease, and the parties must urgently take concrete steps towards achieving a nationwide ceasefire agreement.

Spotlighting his efforts towards creating the conditions for a ceasefire, including through meetings with senior political and military officials in Sana'a, he emphasized that any further escalation risks undermining existing commitments and would have devastating humanitarian consequences for Yemen's people. A return to widespread violence would trigger further displacement, collapse essential services and exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis-pushing Yemen further away from the peace it so desperately needs. "The cost of inaction will be profound, with the heaviest burden falling on Yemen's most vulnerable populations," he stated.

Also briefing the Council was Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, who noted that "the last month has seen a concerning increase in attacks against civilian infrastructure". Also reporting damage to Yemen's ports following air strikes, she observed that the country relies on imports for over two thirds of the food and 90 per cent of medicine depend on these seaports. Moreover, Sana'a International Airport - damaged on 26 December - is a "lifeline for life-saving supplies", she said, adding that disruptions to airport operations impact the ability to deliver aid.

"People in Yemen continue to face a severe humanitarian and protection crisis," she said, noting that, according to the 2025 consolidated humanitarian appeal, 19.5 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection - 1.3 million more than in 2024, while over 17 million people are unable to meet their basic food needs. Furthermore, in 2024, the country bore the highest global burden of cholera, while 4.8 million of its people remain internally displaced. Highlighting "modest but sustained progress" on the humanitarian front, she noted that in December, a UN mission crossed the front line in Ta'iz City for the first time since 2016.

In the ensuing discussion, many delegates urged the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, enabling a safe operating environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need. Numerous speakers urged funding for the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan in light of the worsening food insecurity.

"This is more important than ever, with nearly 20 million Yemenis now in need of assistance," stressed the United Kingdom's delegate. While condemning the ongoing and reckless Houthi attacks against Israeli population centres, she emphasized that Israel must respect international humanitarian law, including the need to avoid damage to critical civilian infrastructure such as Hudaydah Port.

Echoing that sentiment, her counterpart from Denmark called on the Houthis to stop their attacks on Israel immediately and underscored Israel's right to self-defence, which must be in line with international law. She also underlined the need to reinforce the weapons embargo and curb the flow of arms to the Houthis, noting that the protection of civilians in Yemen remains pivotal. "They must not become victims of a forgotten conflict," she stated.

Also stressing the importance of the arms embargo, the representative of the Republic of Korea observed that the Houthis are deploying advanced weapon systems, including ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and hypersonic missiles. However, they do not possess the capacity to develop and produce such armaments without key external assistance, he asserted, adding that "any active military assistance or cooperation with the Houthis pours more fuel on the fire and deepens regional destabilization".

Condemning the Houthi attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Panama's representative reiterated his country's commitment to the right to navigation. He highlighted 136 attacks against commercial ships since the detention of the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in 2023, with over a dozen ships navigating under Panama's flag. "These attacks represent a grave environmental danger," he added.

Sharing his concern over the potential environmental impact of maritime attacks, the speaker for Slovenia added: "It is clear that a policy of diplomacy rather than firepower must be pursued." She underscored that the people of Yemen should not be used as "a pawn in a geopolitical game".

The representative of Greece said his country - which places particular emphasis on maritime security and the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and Bab el-Mandeb - has co-penned the renewal of the Red Sea resolution.

Underscoring the need to avoid new escalation in the region, France's delegate urged Iran to cease support for destabilizing action in the Middle East.

Picking up that thread, the representative of the United States stated: "The time has come to respond to the growing global threats by holding Iran to account for enabling the Houthis long-range missile attacks on international shipping and Israel." To this end, she stressed the need to deprive the Houthis of illicit avenues that sustain their attacks and recognize their growing relationship with other terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab. Washington, D.C., continues to take actions in response to Houthi threats, including through multiple precision strikes on 8 January against two Houthi underground advanced conventional weapons storage facilities used to conduct attacks against merchant vessels. She added that these strikes were consistent with international law and were taken with the country's inherent right to self-defence.

Meanwhile, the Russian Federation's representative urged the parties to the conflict to resolve antagonisms and suppress their "hawkish" rhetoric. "Global Powers and regional players need to help them instead of linking additional pre-conditions to the peace process," he added. While the instability in the Middle East is impacting the political resolution, "fuel is added to the fire" by the turbulence in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, he observed, expressing concern over the ongoing strikes on Yemen's ports by the so-called coalition. "We are not justifying Houthi's strikes on the Israeli territory," he emphasized, noting that the actions of military personnel must be commensurate.

Warning against a vicious circle of spiralling escalation in Yemen, China's delegate observed that "while the Houthis and Israel continue to attack each other, the United States and Israel frequently struck Yemen from the air". Nevertheless, he emphasized that "military means are not the way out". The Houthis should stop harassing commercial vessels and safeguard the safety of shipping lanes in the Red Sea, he insisted. Concurrently, concerned countries should stop air strikes in Yemen and respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Noting the recent positive developments regarding the ceasefire in Gaza, he said "the next few days will be critical to the trajectory of developments in the Strip."

Through the ongoing military escalation, the Houthi militias are undermining regional and international efforts towards peace in Yemen, said that country's representative. At a time when Yemen's Government condemns Israel's attacks, "we hold Houthi militias responsible for dragging Yemen into the conflict in the region", he noted, observing that those attacks are not in defence of the Palestinian people. "This is part of their strategy to destroy the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the Yemeni people to impose the agendas of their sponsor - the Iranian regime", he added. The militias must renounce the "choice of war", he stressed, calling on the Council to pave the way towards a political solution.

"The Houthi continue to escalate due to the absence of international will to deal with the behaviour of these militias," he said, adding that they turned Hudaydah into a base to threaten international navigation routes. Urging donors to support Yemen's economic recovery plan, he acknowledged Saudi Arabia's donation of $500 million, including $300 million as a deposit to Yemen's central bank. "This support will help meet urgent needs", he said, also spotlighting the forthcoming London-organized high-level ministerial meeting to mobilize economic and political support.

"Conflict in Yemen must be resolved through diplomatic and political means," said the representative of Pakistan, underscoring that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only viable paths for peace.

Somalia's representative, also speaking for Algeria, Guyana and Sierra Leone, concurred: "Only diplomatic effort and political dialogue can solve the Yemeni crisis, not military intervention."