Houthi Rebels Storm UN Agency Headquarters in Yemen Amidst Escalating Tensions with Israel

In Yemen’s capital Sanaa, headquarters of a United Nations agency were stormed by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Sunday. The incident occurred a day after Israel declared it had eliminated Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the rebel-controlled government.

Representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that local security forces entered their offices on Sunday morning, with one staff member reportedly detained. There were also reports of additional detentions elsewhere.

The connection between the raid and Israel’s attacks remains unclear, though the Houthis have historically targeted UN and international organizations.

Moammar al-Eryani, Yemen’s information minister under the UN-supported government, vehemently denounced the Houthis’ actions according to SABA NEWS. Al-Eryani also reported that guards at a UNICEF premises were abducted by the Houthis, though UNICEF representatives could not provide further details about an ongoing situation in Sanaa.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the strikes targeting al-Rahawi and other Houthi officials are part of a broader campaign against the group, promising “retaliation will be severe for their aggression against Israel.” He emphasized during a government meeting on Sunday that “We are initiating actions unprecedented in scale, with this being just the beginning of strikes on senior officials in Sanaa – we will reach all of them.”

Since 2014, Yemen has been politically divided between a Houthi-controlled administration in Sanaa and much of the north, and a rival but more recognized administration in the south.