UN Envoy Warns Yemen Faces Greatest Risk of War Since 2022 

Yemen faces its greatest risk of renewed war since 2022 as fighting intensifies between the Iran-backed Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-supported army and attacks on Red Sea shipping threaten further regional escalation, UN envoy Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council. 

Grundberg said Houthi attacks in Marib, Hadramaut, Mokha and other areas have resulted in military and civilian casualties. He also warned that renewed Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden could pull Yemen deeper into regional conflict. 

The envoy urged the parties to immediately deescalate and pursue a lasting ceasefire. He said attacks and threats against shipping and cross-border attacks must end. 

Grundberg said a negotiated “off-ramp” remained possible and called on countries with influence over the parties to help return them to negotiations. 

The warning comes as Yemen also faces a severe humanitarian crisis. More than half of the population is experiencing acute food insecurity, UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the council. About 6 million people have reached “Emergency” levels of food deprivation, approaching famine conditions. 

Grundberg and Fletcher called for the Houthis to release 73 UN personnel being held by the group, along with workers from non-governmental organizations, civil society and diplomatic missions. 

Efforts to free conflict-related detainees have also made limited progress. Grundberg said preparations for the release of more than 1,600 detainees under an agreement reached in May were moving slowly and risked being disrupted by the broader escalation. 

Tensions have also intensified around commercial shipping. The Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20, saying the move was a response to what they described as a Saudi siege of Yemen. Riyadh has denied imposing such a siege. 

A Saudi-led coalition later launched airstrikes against what it described as Houthi military facilities in the port city of Hodeidah. The coalition said the targeted sites were connected to threats against commercial shipping.