For humanitarian workers in Yemen, the risks have never felt higher. In just the past 48 hours, Houthi rebels detained two additional United Nations staff members and raided the homes of several others, escalating a campaign of intimidation and obstruction that has left the U.N. and its partners reeling—and forced them to reconsider their entire approach to operating in the war-torn country.
The latest detainments, confirmed on Friday, October 24, 2025, by Farhan Haqq, the deputy U.N. spokesperson, add to a worrying tally. There are now 55 U.N. staffers currently detained by the Houthis, according to reporting from the Associated Press and corroborated by multiple officials with the World Food Program. These staffers include both Yemenis and internationals, as well as other non-government and civil society personnel from various diplomatic missions.
“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, in remarks echoed by both AP and Tanzania. “These actions are forcing us to reassess the way in which we work in areas controlled by the Houthis.”
The raids and detainments are just the latest in a string of provocations. On Thursday and Friday—October 23 and 24—three World Food Program officials confirmed that Houthi forces raided the homes of Yemeni U.N. staff as well as a U.N. facility. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, described a climate of fear and uncertainty gripping humanitarian workers in the region.
This escalation has not gone unnoticed at the highest levels of the United Nations. The office of Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement renewing his call for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all detained personnel. “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 read.
For the U.N., the situation is growing untenable. Over the past several months, Houthi rebels have forcibly entered and occupied U.N. premises—including in the capital of Sanaa—seizing assets and repeatedly detaining personnel. The rebels have also raided U.N. offices in Sanaa as recently as August 31, detaining 19 employees. While the deputy director of the UNICEF office was later released, the pattern of harassment has only intensified.
On Wednesday, October 22, the Houthis released a dozen international staffers and allowed three others to move freely within the U.N. compound after detaining them last weekend. These 12 staffers departed Sanaa on a U.N. humanitarian flight, with some relocating to Jordan to continue their work. The releases followed days of tense negotiations and mounting international pressure, but the overall picture remains bleak: for every staffer freed, more seem to be swept up in the next round of detainments.
The rebels have justified their actions by accusing detained U.N. staff and employees of other organizations and embassies of espionage. Yet, as the United Nations has repeatedly pointed out, these claims have been made without evidence. The U.N. has flatly denied any such wrongdoing by its personnel, emphasizing that their sole mission is to provide life-saving assistance to millions of Yemenis caught in the crossfire of war and famine.
The events of the past week are not isolated. On Sunday, October 19, the Houthis detained five Yemeni staffers and 15 international staff at a U.N. facility in Sanaa, a day after raiding the compound. All staff present during the raid were reported safe, but the rebels confiscated all communications equipment—phones, servers, and computers—effectively cutting off contact with the outside world. After questioning, 11 U.N. staffers were released, but the rest remain in custody.
Those detained belong to multiple U.N. agencies, including the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The breadth of these agencies’ work in Yemen is staggering: from providing food aid and medical care, to supporting education and infrastructure, their absence would leave a gaping hole in the country’s already fragile humanitarian safety net.
According to AP, the Houthis’ crackdown on the U.N. and other humanitarian organizations has been intensifying since 2021. De facto authorities in rebel-held areas have taken a series of steps that have made it “increasingly difficult for the UN to provide assistance to Yemenis,” as Haqq put it. These measures have included barring access to certain regions, seizing aid shipments, and now, detaining staff in growing numbers.
The international community has responded with alarm but has so far struggled to exert meaningful pressure on the Houthis. The United Nations says it is in “constant contact” with authorities in Sana’a and with concerned Member States, but the rebels’ willingness to flout diplomatic norms and basic human rights has left many wondering what tools remain to secure the release of detained workers.
The stakes could hardly be higher. Yemen is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions dependent on aid for survival. The U.N. and its partners are a lifeline for countless Yemenis, providing food, water, shelter, and medical care amid ongoing conflict. Every aid worker detained, every office raided, chips away at the ability of these organizations to do their jobs—and, by extension, at the hope of relief for ordinary Yemenis.
The Houthis’ actions have also raised the specter of a broader diplomatic rupture. By targeting not only U.N. staff but also employees of other organizations and embassies, the rebels risk isolating themselves further from the international community. Yet, for now, they appear undeterred, continuing to detain and harass humanitarian workers with little regard for the consequences.
Within U.N. circles, the mood is grim but resolute. Officials say they are reassessing “the way in which we work in areas controlled by the Houthis,” as Haqq stated, but remain committed to their mission. The hope is that continued diplomatic engagement—and the spotlight of international attention—will eventually secure the release of all detained staff and restore some measure of safety for those who remain.
For the families of those detained, and for the millions of Yemenis still in desperate need, the wait continues. The world is watching, but for now, the fate of dozens of aid workers hangs in the balance, a stark reminder of the perils faced by those who risk everything to help others in times of war.
