In a dramatic and deeply troubling turn of events, Yemen’s Houthi rebels have intensified their campaign against United Nations staff, detaining additional personnel and raiding homes in the capital, Sana’a. As of October 25, 2025, a staggering 55 UN employees remain in Houthi custody, according to multiple reports by Devdiscourse, AFP, and The National. The detentions, which have escalated in frequency and severity since the outbreak of the Gaza war in late 2023, are forcing the UN to fundamentally reassess its operations in Houthi-controlled areas, raising urgent concerns for the safety of humanitarian workers and the future of international aid in Yemen.
The latest wave of detentions unfolded over a tense 48-hour period from October 24 to 25, with Houthi forces arresting at least two additional UN staff members and raiding the homes of several others, as confirmed by UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haqq. An AFP security source in Sana’a reported that seven Yemeni nationals employed by the UN were detained on accusations of espionage for Israel—a claim the United Nations has categorically rejected as unfounded. These incidents follow a pattern of harassment and intimidation that has only intensified over the past two years.
“Since 2021, the de facto authorities have taken a number of steps that have made it increasingly difficult for the UN to provide assistance to Yemenis,” Haqq told reporters, as quoted by The National. “These actions are forcing us to reassess the way in which we work in areas controlled by the Houthis.” The mounting risks have already prompted the transfer of some UN operations to Jordan and the relocation of the UN humanitarian coordinator from Sana’a to Aden in mid-September.
The Houthis’ crackdown has not been limited to detentions. Over recent months, their forces have repeatedly entered and occupied UN premises, including a high-profile raid on a UN facility in Sana’a just days before the latest arrests. During these raids, rebels seized communications equipment—phones, servers, and computers—and confiscated assets. The detained staff represent a cross-section of UN agencies, including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, highlighting the breadth of the impact on humanitarian work in Yemen.
While the Houthis claim the detained workers were involved in espionage and aiding Israeli military operations—allegations they have offered no evidence to support—the UN has firmly denied these charges. Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al Houthi has gone so far as to publicly accuse UN personnel of identifying targets for Israeli airstrikes that killed the Houthi Prime Minister and a dozen cabinet members in August. The United Nations, however, has dismissed these accusations as baseless and dangerous, warning that such rhetoric puts aid workers at further risk.
In a statement issued by the office of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the world body renewed its call for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all detained staff. “The UN, at all levels, continues to be seized with the matter and is in constant contact with the relevant authorities in Sana’a and with concerned Member States and partners to secure their release,” the statement said.
The international response has been swift and critical. Yemen’s internationally recognized government, based in Aden, condemned the arrests as a “systematic escalation” and accused the Houthis of treating international organizations and their workers as “hostages and tools for political extortion.” Information Minister Moammar Al Eryani stated, “We strongly condemn the recent campaign launched by the Iran-backed Houthi terrorist militia over the past 24 hours against UN personnel in the hijacked capital, Sanaa.” Deputy Human Rights Minister Majid Al Fadhil went further, telling The National, “The UN in Yemen must bear full responsibility for the safety and security of their staff. We affirm that turning a blind eye to the Houthi crimes constitutes a crime in itself and constitutes actual complicity in these violations.”
These developments are the latest in a long-running saga of tension between the Houthis and international organizations. Since 2021, the rebels have steadily increased restrictions on humanitarian work in areas under their control, making it harder for the UN and other agencies to deliver life-saving aid to millions of Yemenis caught in the crossfire of the country’s protracted civil war. The situation has only worsened since the Gaza conflict erupted, with the Houthis aligning themselves with Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States. In addition to detaining aid workers, the group has launched attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and fired missiles at Israeli territory, actions they say are in solidarity with Palestinians.
The risks for international staff have become so acute that, earlier this week, a dozen foreign UN staffers were released from detention and immediately flown out of Sana’a on a UN humanitarian flight, some relocating to Jordan to continue their work. Three others were allowed to move freely within the UN compound, but the sense of insecurity remains pervasive. The UN has confirmed that, in the days prior, 20 staff—including 15 foreigners—had been released after being confined since a raid the previous weekend. Despite these releases, the majority of those still detained are local Yemeni staff, who face an uncertain future as negotiations for their freedom drag on.
The Houthis’ actions have not gone unnoticed by the broader international community. Humanitarian agencies warn that the escalating crackdown threatens to cripple vital aid operations in Yemen, where more than 21 million people—two-thirds of the population—depend on humanitarian assistance. The forced reassessment of UN activities in Houthi-controlled areas could have dire consequences for those most in need.
In the background, the broader regional conflict continues to cast a shadow over Yemen’s internal crisis. The Houthis’ alignment with Iran and their active participation in the Gaza war have drawn retaliatory strikes from Israel, including the August attack that killed the Houthi premier and much of his cabinet. These cross-border hostilities have only deepened the sense of instability and made the work of international organizations even more precarious.
As the standoff continues, the fate of the 55 detained UN staff—and the future of humanitarian operations in Yemen—hangs in the balance. The United Nations, for its part, remains adamant in its demand for the immediate and unconditional release of its employees, even as it is forced to reconsider how, and where, it can safely operate in a country torn apart by war and political turmoil.
The coming weeks will be critical, not only for the detained aid workers and their families but for the millions of Yemenis who rely on the UN for food, medicine, and hope in the midst of one of the world’s most intractable humanitarian crises.
