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Yemen is facing growing risks of being further dragged into the escalating Middle East conflict, which threatens to spiral out of control, according to the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg. He warned that the ongoing attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on international shipping in the Red Sea are increasing the risk of an environmental disaster. The Houthis, backed by Iran, have launched more than 80 attacks on merchant vessels since October 7, when conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas. Grundberg and U.N. officials called for an immediate halt to these attacks, citing fears that Yemen could become entangled in the broader regional conflict. In addition to the military tensions, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen continues to worsen, with severe food shortages, rising cholera cases, and critical U.N. aid operations hindered by arbitrary detentions of U.N. and NGO workers. Despite the deteriorating situation, hopes for peace remain distant as violence escalates across the region.
