UN chief expresses deep concern over Israel strikes on Yemen, and risk of regional escalation

This article is published in association with United Nations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has responded to Israel’s airstrikes on the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, which reportedly killed at least six people and injured more than 80, by calling for all parties involved in the conflict to “exercise utmost restraint”.

In statement, Mr. Guterres noted that Israel had claimed responsibility for the strikes, which took place on Saturday, as a response to previous attacks on Israel by the Houthis – formally known as Ansar Allah – a group which controls swathes of territory in Yemen, including Hudaydah.

The strikes came after a drone attack on the Israeli city of Tel Aviv on Friday killed one person and wounded 10 more. The attack was claimed by the Houthis and led to a senior Israeli Government minister vowing to “settle the score”. The Israelis strikes on Saturday hit electricity infrastructure and a refinery, creating a large fire.

Efforts to mediate between the Houthis and Yemeni government have stalled in recent months and, following the onset of the war in Gaza in October, the Houthis pledged to attack what they deemed to be pro-Israeli shipping interests along the Red Sea coast, as a demonstration of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

In turn, a United States (US)-led coalition defending shipping in the Red Sea has continued to strike areas controlled by Houthis in Hudaydah, the capital Sana’a and Ta’iz.

The Houthis reportedly warned that the group’s response to the Israeli airstrikes “will be huge” and that the group would continue to attack Israel and that there would be no “red lines”.

The Yemeni conflict, which began in 2015, has been disastrous for the civilian population. The UN says the war has destroyed most sectors in Yemen, including healthcare, and caused one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. Around half of the population, some 18.2 million people, are in need of some form of assistance.