A fresh wave of tension has swept through Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, after Houthi rebels detained several United Nations employees on Sunday. United Nations spokesman Jean Alam confirmed that members of the militant group raided a UN compound in the Hada district, apprehending 20 staff members representing various UN agencies. Among those detained were 16 foreign nationals, though Alam later clarified that 11 individuals had been released after questioning.
The incident marks a sharp escalation in the already fragile relationship between the Houthis and international aid organisations operating in the war-torn country.
The Houthi leadership has previously accused humanitarian organisations of conducting espionage on behalf of the United States and Israel, a claim the United Nations has categorically denied. In a televised statement, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi claimed his forces had dismantled what he called a “dangerous espionage network” connected to the CIA and Mossad. He further alleged that agencies such as the UN World Food Programme and UNICEF were being used as cover for “subversive operations.”
“The UN is in contact with the Houthis and other parties to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa,”
Alam said, emphasising the gravity of the situation.
According to AFP, an unnamed United Nations official confirmed that Peter Hawkins, the UNICEF envoy in Yemen, was among those detained. The Associated Press reported that the Houthi fighters seized all electronic equipment during the raid, including computers and mobile phones. Such actions have raised fears among aid agencies about the security of sensitive humanitarian data and the safety of personnel still in Houthi-controlled areas.
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, rejected the espionage allegations in strong terms.
“Dangerous and unacceptable,”
Dujarric said of the claims, urging the immediate release of all detained aid workers. He reiterated that the United Nations’ sole mission in Yemen is to deliver humanitarian assistance to millions affected by years of conflict and instability.
The Houthis currently control much of northern Yemen and have expanded their confrontations beyond national borders. In recent months, the group has launched drones and missiles towards Israel and attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea in what it describes as retaliation for the ongoing war in Gaza. These actions have prompted a series of retaliatory airstrikes from Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom targeting Houthi positions.
This latest confrontation with the United Nations underscores the volatile environment in which aid organisations operate in Yemen, where years of civil war, regional rivalries, and external interventions have left millions in desperate need of assistance.
As negotiations continue, the fate of the detained United Nations staff remains uncertain, and the broader implications for humanitarian operations in Yemen are becoming increasingly dire.
