Iran-backed Houthis Detain UN Staff Members After Raiding Food and Children’s Agency Offices in Yemen Capital
In Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, offices of the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF were raided by the Iran-backed Houthis on Sunday, with at least one U.N. employee reportedly detained.
Abeer Etefa, spokesperson for the WFP, confirmed the incident, stating that such arbitrary detention of humanitarian staff is unacceptable. Similarly, UNICEF spokesperson Ammar Ammar acknowledged an ongoing situation related to their offices in Sanaa without providing further details.
Both U.N. and Houthi officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, reported raids on UNICEF offices as well. Loss of contact with several other WFP and UNICEF staff members is also a concern, suggesting they too may have been detained.
The raids mark another chapter in the Houthis’ ongoing crackdown against international organizations operating in rebel-held areas within Yemen. Previously, the Houthis have detained numerous U.N. personnel and associates of aid groups, civil society, and the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Sanaa. Following a raid in Saada, northern Yemen, the U.N. suspended its operations there in January after eight U.N. staff members were taken into custody.
The recent raids occurred following the killing of Houthi prime minister and several Cabinet members in an Israeli strike on Thursday. Among those killed were Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Foreign Minister Gamal Amer, Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed al-Medani, Electricity Minister Ali Seif Hassan, Tourism Minister Ali al-Yafei, Information Minister Hashim Sharafuldin, and a powerful deputy interior minister, Abdel-Majed al-Murtada.
The Houthi officials and victims’ families confirmed the deaths, which occurred during a government meeting to review activities and performance over the past year. A funeral for the deceased is scheduled for Monday in Sabeen Square, central Sanaa. Defense Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Attefi survived the attack while Abdel-Karim al-Houthi, the interior minister and one of the most powerful figures in the rebel group, was absent from the meeting.
The Israeli strike followed a ballistic missile attack by the Houthis on August 21 that targeted Ben Gurion Airport, according to the Israeli military. The missile prompted air raid sirens across central Israel and Jerusalem, forcing millions into shelters. In response, the Houthis have threatened to intensify attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea.
In a televised speech on Sunday, al-Houthi, the group’s secretive leader, emphasized their commitment to continue military operations against Israel, including missile attacks, drone strikes, and naval blockades.