UN Rights Chief Urges Immediate Halt to Escalating Violence in Yemen

Aden — UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday called on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to immediately cease attacks that risk plunging the country back into full‑scale war.

In a statement, Türk warned that the latest wave of violence “raises the specter of a return to war in the poorest nation on the Arabian Peninsula,” urging restraint and an end to actions that deepen civilian suffering. “The Yemeni people have endured enough from years of conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crises,” he said.

Earlier this month, Yemen witnessed its deadliest assault in years, when Houthi forces killed 58 government soldiers in Marib province. Two civilians also died in shelling that struck residential areas and camps for displaced families.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, at least seven civilians have been killed and ten injured in Houthi attacks on government‑held areas since August 6. Reports also indicate civilian casualties in Houthi‑controlled zones in late July. 

Recent strikes included missile and drone attacks on the Red Sea port city of Mokha, killing three port workers and injuring four, and an assault on a cargo ship in the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait that left four crew members dead.

Civilian infrastructure has been repeatedly hit, including fuel storage facilities and a residential complex linked to a Saudi field hospital in Mokha. Türk stressed that such attacks must stop immediately, warning of dire humanitarian consequences for civilians and critical infrastructure.

The UN notes that more than 18 million Yemenis already face food insecurity, underscoring the urgent need to prevent further escalation and protect vulnerable communities.