The UN Security Council met to discuss the escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen, with concerns rising over regional instability and Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. UN special envoy Hans Grundberg described the situation as “deeply volatile and unpredictable” but noted fragile hopes for de-escalation following a recent ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel. He warned that Houthi missile attacks against Israel and recent assaults on international vessels could exacerbate the crisis.
Grundberg emphasized the need to protect civilian infrastructure and maintain stability, highlighting ongoing military activity and troop movements suggesting potential escalation. He urged all parties to commit to peace, including the release of conflict-related detainees, which has stalled for over a year. The dire economic situation, marked by currency devaluation and worsening food insecurity, threatens millions with famine.
UN humanitarian affairs under-secretary Tom Fletcher reported that over 17 million Yemenis are facing hunger, with numbers expected to rise. Despite funding shortfalls, progress has been made in controlling cholera and improving nutritional treatments. The US Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, condemned recent Houthi attacks as destabilizing and called for the immediate release of detained UN and NGO workers, reiterating the US commitment to countering Houthi actions.
