Houthis Detain Multiple UN Staff in Sanaa Raid

In response to an Israeli airstrike that killed Yemen's Houthi prime minister and several ministers, Iran-backed Houthi rebels raided United Nations offices in Sanaa, detaining at least 11 UN staff members from agencies including the World Food Programme and UNICEF. The raids involved forced entry, questioning of employees, and the seizure of UN property, with some staffers taken to unknown locations amid heightened security measures. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg condemned the arbitrary detentions, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel, while highlighting that the Houthis have previously detained UN and aid workers, sometimes for years. The Houthis accuse some UN staff of espionage for the United States, but the motives behind the recent raids remain unclear. These actions underscore the volatile security situation in Yemen, where UN agencies continue operating amid ongoing conflict and hostilities, including Houthi missile and drone attacks against Israeli interests. The incident adds to a pattern of Houthi crackdowns on international organizations in their controlled territories.