UN Warns of Escalating Combat in Yemen's Impact on Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Security
UN Under-Secretary-General warns the Security Council of escalating fighting in Yemen and its impact on navigation and cross-border attacks on Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
The United Nations has warned of the repercussions of escalating fighting in Yemen on the security of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait, emphasizing the need to de-escalate tensions and ensure freedom of navigation. This warning came during a briefing delivered by UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East and Asia and the Pacific, Khalid Khayari, on Tuesday evening, at an emergency session convened by the UN Security Council to discuss developments in the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Khayari stated that the situation in the strait and its surrounding areas has become more volatile in recent days, with intensified fighting along Yemen’s western coast and growing concerns about its impact on civilians, humanitarian operations, and vital maritime corridors. He clarified that commercial shipping traffic through the Red Sea has not yet been affected, according to maritime tracking websites.
On the humanitarian front, the UN official warned of worsening suffering among civilians. Khayari noted that the escalation has not been confined to Yemen, pointing out that Houthi missile and drone attacks on September 14 targeted the Saudi cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, and Taif, injuring 13 people and damaging seven residences.
He also highlighted attacks on the East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by several drones, reportedly launched from within Iraq, which caused injuries, material damage, and the closure of the pipeline for repair works. He noted that the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced it would refrain from taking escalatory countermeasures at the request of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Allawi, who subsequently ordered an urgent investigation and reaffirmed that Iraqi territory and airspace “will not be used as a platform to launch attacks on any country.”
Khayari reiterated the UN’s condemnation of Houthi cross-border attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure and the energy sector, stressing the necessity of ensuring and respecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait in accordance with international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2722.
He emphasized that the parties involved in Yemen must prioritize dialogue and engage constructively with UN-led efforts to achieve a political settlement through negotiation. He warned that continued instability in the region’s vital maritime corridors could have repercussions extending beyond the region, affecting international peace and security, global energy markets, food security, and the economies of the most vulnerable states.
