In a week marked by heightened tensions and international concern, Yemen’s Houthi rebels released five United Nations staff members after detaining a total of 20 UN employees during a weekend raid on the organization’s compound in Sana’a. The incident, which unfolded between October 18 and 19, 2025, has drawn sharp global attention, particularly as it coincided with the funeral of the Houthis’ military chief of staff, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, killed in an Israeli airstrike.
According to statements from the United Nations and reports by the Associated Press, the Houthis stormed the UN compound in the Yemeni capital over the weekend, forcibly confining both local and international staff. By Monday, October 20, five Yemeni UN staff were released, while 15 international employees were permitted to move freely within the compound, though they remained on the premises. The UN confirmed that Houthi security forces had vacated the compound after the incident, but more than a dozen staffers were still confined to the site.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric addressed the situation on Monday, describing it as the latest in a series of raids and crackdowns targeting international organizations operating in Houthi-controlled territories. He stated, "The Houthis have a long-running crackdown against the U.N. and others working in Yemen's rebel-held areas, including capital Sanaa, the coastal city of Hodeida and rebel stronghold in the northern province Sadaa." The rebels have repeatedly accused detained UN staff and other foreign workers of espionage—claims the United Nations has firmly denied.
This is not the first time aid workers have faced grave risks in Yemen. Earlier this year, a World Food Program employee died while in Houthi detention in Sadaa, underscoring the dangers faced by humanitarian personnel in the region. The Houthis’ actions have prompted the United Nations to call on influential regional powers to intervene. Dujarric told reporters that Secretary-General António Guterres spoke with the foreign ministers and leaders of Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia on Monday regarding the detainment of UN staff. He emphasized, "As the U.N. engages in sensitive negotiations with the Houthis, it is important for member states who have influence in the region, like those three countries, to use their leverage to assist in the release of international and national staff."
The political backdrop to these detentions is complex. The Houthis, who seized control of Sana’a in 2014, have maintained a fraught relationship with international organizations, often accusing them—without evidence—of acting as foreign agents. Dozens of aid workers, embassy employees, and other foreign nationals have been detained in recent years, creating a climate of fear and uncertainty for those delivering critical humanitarian assistance in Yemen’s conflict zones.
The weekend’s events in Sana’a unfolded alongside another major development: the funeral of Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, the group’s military chief of staff. More than 1,000 mourners gathered in the capital on Monday to pay their respects, as reported by the Associated Press. Al-Ghamari, a central figure in the Houthi military hierarchy, was killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the week, along with his 13-year-old son, Hussain, and several companions. The Houthi-controlled SABA news agency confirmed the deaths but did not specify the exact timing of the strike.
The death of al-Ghamari has further inflamed tensions between the Houthis and Israel. Nearly two months prior, Israeli airstrikes killed other senior Houthi officials in Sana’a, including the group’s prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi. The Houthis have framed their ongoing attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping as acts of solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Their missile and drone strikes have disrupted vital shipping lanes through the Red Sea, a corridor through which about $1 trillion in goods passes annually.
At the funeral, many in the crowd expressed their anger at Israel. One mourner, Ayham Hassan, told the Associated Press by phone from Sana’a, "Israel is the biggest enemy for Arabs and Muslims." The outpouring of anti-Israel sentiment was accompanied by anti-U.S. rhetoric, reflecting the broader regional dimensions of the conflict. The United States and Israel have been conducting a joint air and naval campaign against Houthi targets in response to the rebels’ attacks on shipping and Israeli territory.
Al-Ghamari’s significance extended beyond his military role. According to the United Nations, he was sanctioned for his "leading role in orchestrating the Houthis’ military efforts that are directly threatening the peace, security and stability of Yemen, as well as cross-border attacks against Saudi Arabia." The U.S. Treasury had also sanctioned him in 2021, citing his responsibility for "orchestrating attacks by Houthi forces impacting Yemeni civilians" and noting that he had been trained by Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
The Houthis’ ties to Iran have long been a source of regional friction, with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states accusing Tehran of fueling the conflict by arming and supporting the rebels. Iran, for its part, has denied direct involvement, though it has expressed political support for the Houthis’ cause. The United Nations’ direct engagement with Iranian, Yemeni, and Saudi leaders this week highlights the delicate diplomacy required to resolve both the immediate crisis of detained aid workers and the broader conflict in Yemen.
Meanwhile, the fate of the remaining UN employees confined in Sana’a remains uncertain. The United Nations has not provided further details on their condition or the prospects for their release, citing the sensitivity of ongoing negotiations. The organization continues to urge all parties to respect the neutrality and safety of humanitarian workers, warning that continued targeting of aid personnel threatens the delivery of life-saving assistance to millions of Yemenis affected by war and famine.
As the situation develops, the eyes of the international community remain fixed on Sana’a, where the intersection of local conflict, regional rivalries, and global humanitarian concerns has produced a volatile and deeply troubling tableau. The coming days will likely prove decisive, both for the detained UN staff and for the broader trajectory of Yemen’s protracted crisis.