HIBAPRESS – The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, warned of the seriousness of the military escalation in the country, alerting to the repercussions of the Houthi group's threats to international navigation on global markets, in light of the widening confrontations and growing concerns about regional security.
Grundberg said that Yemen is going through a pivotal stage that requires respect for UN resolutions, warning of the repercussions of continued escalation on the stability of the region and international trade.
These warnings come in conjunction with confrontations and airstrikes in a number of Yemeni governorates, and rising tensions in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which represents a strategic passage for global trade.
In a related context, the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations called for the release of the organization's employees detained by the Houthi group, amid ongoing concerns about their safety.
Saudi Arabia: Houthi threats exceed Yemen
For his part, Abdulaziz Al-Wasl, Saudi Arabia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, warned that Houthi threats extend beyond Yemen and the region, considering that the continuation of military escalation hinders efforts to end the Yemeni crisis.
Al-Wasl accused the group of continuing attacks on Yemenis and neighboring countries, and targeting civilian facilities and assets within the Kingdom, pointing to attacks that targeted Saudi airports, including Riyadh Airport, describing one of them as a "blatant terrorist attack."
He affirmed that these attacks threaten civil aviation security, noting the injury of civilians, including women and children.
The Saudi envoy stressed that the Kingdom will not allow Yemen to be turned into a platform to threaten its security or maritime navigation security, affirming its right to defend itself and protect its security.
He added that Riyadh has made peace a priority in its dealings with the Yemeni crisis, but the Houthis have chosen, in his words, to continue the military escalation, which threatens the chances of reaching a settlement.
Al-Wasl renewed the Kingdom's affirmation of support for the Yemeni people in their endeavors to end the Houthi coup, warning that the group's attacks are not limited in their repercussions to within Yemen, but rather extend to neighboring countries, navigation, and civil aviation.
Yemeni Government Accuses Houthis of Foiling Peace Efforts
For his part, Abdullah Al-Saadi, Yemen's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that the Yemeni government has given peace successive opportunities and has borne a great economic and humanitarian cost for de-escalation, but the Houthis responded, according to him, with mobilization and expanded attacks.
Al-Saadi accused the group of igniting the war and foiling settlement initiatives, warning that leniency with its practices undermines the chances of peace, and considering that it seeks to rob Yemenis of their will in implementation of Iranian orders.
He explained that the "Fajr al-Yaman" operation aims to empower state institutions and end the Houthi coup, and is not a war on the inhabitants of a specific region, but rather a confrontation between the state and militias supported by Iran, affirming the government's commitment to international law and the protection of civilians.
He accused the Houthis of causing the displacement of tens of thousands of people, and targeting Aden Airport shortly before the landing of a civilian flight, as well as attacking Saudi airports and civilian facilities.
Warnings of Threat to Bab al-Mandab
Al-Saadi warned of the Houthi threats extending to maritime navigation, pointing to UN reports that he said proved the group's cooperation with the Somali movement Al-Shabaab to threaten the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
He called for strengthening international efforts to protect maritime routes, confront smuggling and financing networks, and provide support to the Yemeni government.
He also praised Saudi support for Yemeni state institutions and the economy, and appreciated the Saudi humanitarian initiative related to settling the conditions of Yemenis.
In a stance supporting Riyadh and the Yemeni government, the US representative to the UN Security Council affirmed his country's support for them in exercising their right to self-defense, in conjunction with the escalating confrontations with the Houthis and the continued security tensions in the region.
Diplomatic efforts to contain escalation
The office of the UN envoy announced on Wednesday, October 7, the conclusion of Grundberg's visit to Washington, during which he held discussions with officials from the US Department of State, the National Security Council, and the Department of Defense (Pentagon), as well as American and Yemeni experts.
The discussions, according to the UN statement, addressed recent developments in Yemen and their security repercussions on the region, emphasizing the importance of continued regional and international commitment to the political track as the path to a comprehensive solution to the conflict and achieving stability in Yemen and neighboring countries.
The visit was preceded by diplomatic moves that included Oman and Saudi Arabia, during which the UN envoy met with representatives of the Houthis and regional officials, in an effort to contain the escalation and return the parties to negotiations.
According to the Associated Press, these contacts focused on containing escalating confrontations, especially in the wake of military developments on Yemen's west coast, and growing concerns about the safety of navigation in the Red Sea.
Bab al-Mandab at the heart of confrontations
UN warnings gain particular importance in light of military developments near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and constitutes a major passage for ships heading to and from the Suez Canal.
Grundberg had warned, during a briefing to the Security Council on September 10, that the danger of Yemen returning to a full-scale war has become a field reality, in light of escalating confrontations.
He then pointed to a wide attack launched by the Houthis on the west coast, including the city of Mokha, located about 75 kilometers from the strait, warning that military developments in its vicinity threaten global trade and energy supplies.
This coincides with the pressures facing maritime shipping in the region, against the backdrop of tensions related to the war with Iran and the disruption of oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
The confluence of threats in the Red Sea and disturbances in the Gulf exacerbates the risks facing international supply chains, in light of rising transportation and insurance costs.
Military escalation on multiple fronts
On the ground, Yemen has witnessed military escalation in recent days, with government forces intensifying their operations against Houthi positions.
Part of the confrontations focused on the west coast and areas near Bab al-Mandab, while operations extended to other fronts, including Taiz, amid military movements to regain strategic areas near the strait.
Grundberg had warned, in a previous briefing to the Security Council in August, that the renewal of a comprehensive war would come at a time when Yemeni state institutions are suffering from deep divisions, while the economy faces increasing difficulties after years of conflict.
