Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have raided a United Nations compound in the capital, Sanaa, according to U.N. officials — but all 15 international staff inside the facility are reported safe and accounted for.
A U.N. spokesperson, Jean Alam, confirmed that personnel from multiple agencies — including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — were present during Saturday’s raid and have since been able to contact their families.
The Houthis previously raided U.N. offices in Sanaa on August 31, detaining 19 employees. Some, like the deputy director of UNICEF Yemen, were later released, but more than 50 individuals — many affiliated with aid groups, civil society, and the now-closed U.S. Embassy — remain in Houthi custody.
The Houthis claim, without evidence, that staff detained in August were engaged in espionage. Their leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, described them as “one of the most dangerous espionage cells” linked to humanitarian organizations. The U.N. strongly denied these accusations, with spokesman Stéphane Dujarric calling them “dangerous and unacceptable” and warning that such claims jeopardize the safety of humanitarian personnel and disrupt life-saving operations.
Saturday’s raid is part of a broader Houthi crackdown on U.N. and international aid operations in rebel-controlled areas. Earlier this year, eight U.N. staffers were detained in Saada province, prompting the suspension of operations there. The U.N. also relocated its top humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
Yemen has been in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized Sanaa and much of the north, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile. A Saudi-led coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, intervened in 2015 to restore the government, but the conflict has largely stalemated in recent years. The rebels later reached a deal with Saudi Arabia, halting attacks on the kingdom in exchange for a pause in airstrikes on Houthi territories.
The U.N. says it is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of its staff and property amid continuing tensions.
Reporting by Carl Montel.
