World News in Brief: US strikes on Yemen, Gaza aid update, debt burden weighs on developing world

This article is published in association with United Nations.

The UN on Monday expressed concern over the continued threat posed to shipping in the Red Sea by Houthi attacks from their bases in Yemen as well as recent airstrikes by the United States which have left over 50 reportedly dead.

In a statement released to correspondents in New York, the UN denounced the Houthis’ targeting of merchant and commercial vessels in the key waterway which includes the Suez Canal and reported attacks against military vessels.

The UN is concerned about the continued threats by the Houthis to resume their attacks targeting merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, as well as about their reported attacks against military vessels in the area, calling for “full freedom of navigation.”

US strikes

“We reiterate our concern at the launching of multiple strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen by the United States in recent days,” the statement continued.

“According to the Houthis, the airstrikes over the weekend resulted in 53 deaths and 101 injuries, reported from Sana’a City, Sa’ada and Al Baydah governorates, including reports of civilian casualties, and led to disruptions in the power supply in nearby localities.”

The Houthis who control large swathes of Yemen including the capital, began targeting Israeli-linked shipping in the waterway out of solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinian people, following the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Last week they said attacks would resume due to the continuing aid blockade of the enclave.

The UN called for restraint on all sides and an end to “all military activities”

“Any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilize Yemen and the region and pose grave risks to the already dire humanitarian situation in the country,” the statement continued.

It emphasised that international law must be respected by all parties, including Security Council resolution 2768 (2025) related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels.

Top envoy urges restraint

UN Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, has been in close contact with Yemeni, regional and international stakeholders in recent days.

“He has called for utmost restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law, and he has pushed for a refocus on diplomacy to avoid uncontrollable destabilization in Yemen and in the region. Further contacts are held by his office on numerous levels,” said UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.

Mr. Grundberg called for support from the international community so that UN-led mediation efforts can “deliver results”.

Gaza: Israeli blockade continues to hamper relief efforts

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Monday that nearly all the 2.4 million children in the occupied Palestinian territory have been affected by the ongoing conflict and violence.

UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Edouard Beigbeder expressed deep concern at the situation in Gaza at the end of a four-day assessment mission.

He said that roughly one million children now live without the very basics they need to survive because of the Israeli aid blockade.

This includes more than 180,000 doses of essential childhood routine vaccines, enough to fully vaccinate and protect 60,000 children under two, as well as 20 lifesaving ventilators for neonatal intensive care units.

It has now been more than two weeks since Israeli authorities closed all crossings into Gaza.

Olga Cherevko from UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reminded that when the ceasefire began “we were able to deliver life-saving support to hundreds of thousands of families.”

They also “delivered hope” – but that is now turning into fear and concern: “Time is not on our side. It is imperative that the flow of supply is restored. Aid must be allowed to enter.”

Prices surging

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that aid crossing closures have led to a surge in prices. This month, the cost of cooking gas soared by up to 200 per cent compared to February and is now only available on the black market.

Aid partners are also reporting a lack of cash. “Shop owners are unable to restock or pay their suppliers. The situation is particularly acute in North Gaza and Khan Younis,” said deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq.

“Despite the suspension of cargo entering Gaza, the UN and its partners continue to provide life-saving services for as many vulnerable people as possible.

More than 3,000 children have been screened by aid partners for malnutrition across Gaza in the past two weeks and only a small number of cases of acute malnutrition have been identified, Mr. Haq added.

But they warn that the situation could worsen if the halt on aid into Gaza continues.

UNICEF says large quantities of critical supplies are stalled just a few dozen kilometres outside the Strip, including 20 ventilators for neonatal intensive care units and more than 180,000 doses of essential childhood routine vaccines.

Interest payments outweigh climate investments in almost all developing countries

Finally, a warning from UN economists at UNCTAD that almost all developing countries pay more in interest on their debts than essential climate resilience investments.

Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Trade and Development body, UNCTAD.

UNCTAD chief Rebeca Grynspan said that today’s global financial architecture comes at a high cost to developing countries who suffer from chronic under-investment.

There is still no universal safety net to shield countries from external shocks, or any multilateral financial system to provide affordable long-term resources at scale, Ms. Grynspan continued.

UNCTAD data shows that 3.3 billion people live in countries that spend more on servicing their debt than on health or education.

In 2023, the average developing country spent 16 per cent of their export earnings to service their debt, which is more than three times the limit set for Germany’s post-war reconstruction, Ms. Grynspan explained at the start of the UN agency’s International Debt Management Conference seeking solutions for the management of public debt, transparency and good governance.