Houthis Raid UN Offices in Yemen Amid Tensions Following Israeli Strike

Iran-backed Houthi forces conducted raids on United Nations agency offices in Yemen's capital Sanaa on Sunday, detaining at least 11 UN personnel according to officials. The raids targeted facilities operated by the World Food Program, World Health Organization, and UNICEF, with armed forces questioning employees and seizing UN property. UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned the actions and called for the immediate release of detained staff.

The incident follows an Israeli strike on Thursday that killed several Houthi government officials, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and multiple cabinet members. The Houthis have been engaged in attacks on Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, actions they describe as responses to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The group's leader indicated in a televised address that military operations against Israel would continue and intensify.

The raids represent an escalation in the Houthis' ongoing restrictions against international organizations operating in rebel-controlled areas of Yemen. UN operations in the northern stronghold of Saada were previously suspended after rebels detained eight UN staffers in January. The organization has reported numerous detentions of staff members and aid workers in Houthi-controlled territories.

UN Yemen envoy Hans Grundberg expressed concern about the situation, stating that "Yemen cannot afford to become a battleground for a broader geopolitical conflict." The Houthis have expanded their targeting criteria to include merchant vessels belonging to any company doing business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality. This development has implications for international shipping and regional security as the conflict continues to evolve.