UN Envoy Warns Houthi Red Sea Attacks Risk Dragging Yemen Back to War
The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen has expressed alarm at the resumption of Houthi strikes on commercial shipping, warning that the escalation threatens to undo years of relative calm and deepen the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg has issued a stark warning regarding the recent resumption of Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, stating that such actions risk pulling the country back into full-scale conflict. In a statement released on Thursday, Grundberg described the escalation as a threat to regional stability, urging all parties to return to the negotiating table to address Yemen’s entrenched political, economic, and security challenges.
The UN envoy emphasised that while the war in Yemen has been largely paused since 2022, the political deadlock between the Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa, and the internationally recognised government remains unresolved. Grundberg argued that a negotiated political settlement is essential not only for Yemen but for broader regional stability, noting that further confrontation would only deepen the suffering of a population where 22 million people currently require aid.
The diplomatic alarm follows Houthi military operations on Wednesday, during which the group struck two Saudi-linked oil tankers, the Encelia and the Layla, using missiles and drones. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree confirmed the attacks, stating the vessels were targeted for violating a blockade decision issued by the armed forces on 20 July. This blockade was imposed in retaliation for a bombing of Sanaa airport’s runway on 13 July, an incident claimed by Yemen’s internationally recognised government as a measure to stop an Iranian aircraft, while the Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia.
The maritime disruptions have had immediate economic repercussions, with at least five tankers altering their course to avoid the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This shift in shipping routes has contributed to Brent crude oil prices rising above $100 a barrel. The Houthis also fired missiles into Saudi Arabia, targeting an airport, further intensifying tensions in a region already strained by broader geopolitical conflicts.
Compounding the instability, the United States has carried out its 12th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump has threatened “major military punishment” against both Iran and the Houthis, asserting via Truth Social that Washington would hold Tehran responsible for further attacks. The President described the Houthi group as a proxy of Iran, linking the Red Sea violence directly to the wider conflict between the US and Iran.
