UN envoy warns Yemen faces risk of returning to full-scale war as fighting escalates

UNITED NATIONS — The UN special envoy for Yemen warned the country risks sliding back into a full-scale war, as fighting between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government has intensified since the UN-brokered ceasefire in 2022. Speaking to the Security Council, Hans Grundberg said Yemen could be drawn into a broader regional conflict, according to Reuters. Grundberg reported that recent Houthi attacks in and around Marib, Hadramaut and Mocha have killed and wounded soldiers and civilians. He also noted a renewed campaign of strikes by the Houthis against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, placing trade and energy flows in the region under mounting pressure. The envoy called on all parties to immediately de-escalate and pursue a comprehensive ceasefire. He further urged the release of 73 UN personnel detained by the Houthis, alongside diplomats, civil society representatives and other staff members targeted by the group. Grundberg said a negotiated solution remains possible and called on influential states to press the parties back to the negotiating table. No further details on the next diplomatic steps were immediately available.