UN envoy for Yemen ‘alarmed’ by Houthis’ Red Sea attacks, calls for talks
The UN envoy for Yemen has expressed alarm over renewed Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, warning that escalation risks returning Yemen to full-scale conflict and deepening humanitarian suffering. He called for negotiations to address the country's political and economic challenges.
The United Nations envoy for Yemen has cautioned that resumed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea threaten to reignite comprehensive conflict in the country. Hans Grundberg issued a statement expressing concern that escalatory military actions could push Yemen toward deeper confrontation while intensifying the already severe humanitarian crisis affecting its population.
Grundberg emphasized that a negotiated political settlement remains achievable and would address Yemen's underlying political, economic, and security issues while benefiting regional stability. He stressed that such a resolution should prioritize the interests of the Yemeni people and represent an alternative to continued military escalation.
The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, announced on Wednesday that they had attacked two Saudi oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, using missiles and drones. This marked their first assault since declaring a blockade of Saudi-linked shipping on July 20. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree stated the vessels were targeted for violating the blockade order. The blockade itself was imposed in response to a July 13 bombing of Sanaa airport's runway, which Yemen's internationally recognized government claimed it conducted to prevent an Iranian aircraft landing. The Houthis attributed responsibility to Saudi Arabia, the government's primary backer.
The maritime disruption has forced at least five tankers to alter course to avoid the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, contributing to elevated crude oil prices above $100 per barrel. Yemen's civil conflict, ongoing for nearly 12 years since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, has created a humanitarian catastrophe affecting 22 million people requiring aid, with 18.3 million experiencing acute food insecurity. The UN warning coincided with the United States conducting its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, a conflict that has already disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump stated that Washington would hold Iran accountable for further Houthi shipping attacks, characterizing the group as an Iranian proxy.
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