UN Envoy Warns: Yemen’s Peace at Highest Risk Since 2022 Truce
Yemen is now facing its highest risk of a full war since a 2022 truce was made. A United Nations special envoy issued this serious warning. Fighting has recently increased across the country. It has caused deaths and injuries to both soldiers and civilians.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg shared his concerns on Thursday. He spoke to the UN Security Council. Mr. Grundberg said military actions have become stronger along Yemen’s front lines.
Fighters from the Houthi group have clashed with government forces. These fights happened in areas like Marib, Hadramout, and al-Makha. Government forces based in Aden also reported stopping a Houthi attack in Taiz. The government also used artillery and drones against Houthi forces in several regions.
The head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council stated that any Houthi action would be met with a “comprehensive response.” Mr. Grundberg called on all groups to stop fighting at once. He urged them to work towards a strong ceasefire agreement.
The UN envoy also warned about new Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea. These attacks could pull Yemen into a larger conflict between the US and Iran. He also stressed the need for “economic de-escalation” to help Yemen’s economy. The economy has suffered greatly from years of civil war.
Mr. Grundberg asked the warring groups to help commercial ships reach Yemeni ports. He also pushed for oil exports to restart. Commercial flights to and from Sanaa airport, which the Houthis control, should also begin again. He believes cooperation will benefit everyone more than fighting.
Yemen has been in conflict since the Houthis took over the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. A Saudi-led military group intervened in 2015. This led to a long war. The 2022 truce had largely held until now.
The worsening fighting is making Yemen’s humanitarian crisis worse. More than half of Yemen’s people do not have enough food. Six million people face severe shortages, almost like a famine. Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, told the Security Council about this. He said three women die daily from preventable problems related to pregnancy.
The British government blamed the Houthis for the humanitarian crisis. It also criticized Houthi attacks on international shipping and Saudi Arabia. The UK’s representative at the UN, Sarah MacIntosh, urged the Houthis to focus on peace. She said they should ease the suffering of Yemenis instead of causing more conflict.
On Thursday, the Houthis took responsibility for a drone attack on an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. They said this attack was a response to Saudi violations of Yemeni airspace. This attack is part of a series of drone and missile exchanges between the two sides. These exchanges started after the Houthis blocked Saudi shipping in the Red Sea in July.
