UNSC to Hold Yemen Meeting Next Week

New York – The UN Security Council (UNSC) is scheduled to convene its regular meeting on Yemen next Thursday, August 13, to review the latest developments in the country, including the risk of military escalation by the Houthis and its implications for local and regional stability.

According to the Council’s provisional program adopted earlier today, the session will open with a public briefing followed by closed consultations.

UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, a representative from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and a civil society representative are expected to deliver updates during the open session, covering political, security, humanitarian, and military developments.

In the closed consultations, members are expected to discuss key issues, notably rising tensions between the Houthis and the Saudi‑led coalition. This follows the Houthis’ attempts to resume flights between Iran and Sana’a, their declaration of a “ban on Saudi maritime navigation,” and attacks on Saudi commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

The Council will also address last month’s escalation in Hudaydah, where reports indicated one of the fiercest clashes in years between government forces and Houthi fighters, leaving at least 16 government soldiers and 50 Houthis dead.

Humanitarian concerns will feature prominently, with members set to examine the worsening crisis caused by severe access restrictions, including the Houthis’ continued detention of dozens of UN staff and NGO workers, which hampers aid delivery in northern areas under their control.