Yemen is at risk of returning to full-scale war and the international community has a common interest and responsibility to stop this from happening, the United Nations Special Envoy for the country, Hans Grundberg, warned.
The recent escalation between Yemen and Israel
In a briefing on the Yemen crisis to the United Nations Security Council, Grundberg cautioned about the imminent risk of severe regional escalation due to recent Houthi assaults on commercial shipping and the initial Israeli airstrikes on Yemen in response to Houthi drone and missile strikes on Israel. Additonally, Joyce Msuya, UN Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, also expressed concern over the recent developments in Yemen and the region.
She said that according to the Houthi de facto Ministry of Health, nine people were killed, and 83 injured, following the strikes on Hudaydah. She described Hudaydah Port as a “lifeline” for millions in Yemen. Some 85 per cent of food supplies arrive through the port, which “must remain open and operating”.
Continuous attacks against vessels in the Red Sea
Since November, Yemen’s Houthi militants have been launching attacks against commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks have resulted in the sinking of vessels, the seizure of another, and the deaths of at least three innocent seafarers. Despite efforts to stop the attacks, the Houthis have intensified their efforts in the Red Sea instead of deescalating them.
I remain deeply concerned about the continued targeting of international navigation in the Red Sea and its surrounding waterways. Recent developments suggest that the threat against international shipping is increasing in scope and precision. Commercial shipping vessels have been sunk and damaged, civilians have been killed, the crew of the Galaxy Leader remains arbitrarily detained, and international trade has been disrupted.
… Grundberg said, adding that it is alarming that there are no signs of de-escalation, let alone a solution. These latest developments, he noted, show the real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.
The challenges I have outlined today make it all the more clear that the only way to move forward in Yemen is to find mutually acceptable solutions through dialogue and negotiation. The alternative is more fragmentation and more suffering.
… Grundberg pointed out
Meanwhile, a new video circulating online reportedly shows an attack on the M/V Pumba in the Red Sea, where an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) seemingly packed with explosives was involved.
The USV was destroyed after the armed security team aboard the Pumba returned fire, causing the vessel to explode near the stern.
WILD FOOTAGE
A team of armed Guards aboard a commercial cargo ship in the southern Red Sea successfully destroyed a one-way surface drone launched by the Houthi terrorist group in western Yemen. pic.twitter.com/wFcVhKKjcn
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 23, 2024
