United Nations warns of risk of Yemen returning to large-scale conflict
New York, August 14 (KUNA) -- Two UN officials warned that Yemen faces an increasing risk of returning to a large-scale conflict, greater than at any time since the UN-brokered truce in 2022, amid escalating military activities and worsening humanitarian conditions. This came during a session held by the UN Security Council yesterday evening, Thursday, to discuss the situation in Yemen, where the Council heard two briefings via video link from Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, and Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
Grundberg said that escalation in military activities is being witnessed along the frontlines, coinciding with the resumption of Houthi militia attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, warning that this carries the risk of deepening Yemen’s involvement in the broader regional confrontation. He clarified that the truce, which contributed to maintaining relative calm along the frontlines, was designed as a means to pave the way for negotiations leading to a comprehensive settlement of the conflict, rather than an end in itself. He cautioned that the calm created by the truce cannot last indefinitely in the absence of progress on the political track, noting that a resumption of war would draw a new generation of Yemenis to the frontlines and ignite a new conflict in a region already plagued by multiple disputes.
Grundberg emphasized that despite the dangers of the current phase, reaching an exit through negotiation remains possible, calling on all parties to immediately de-escalate and work towards achieving a strong ceasefire. He called for economic de-escalation and negotiations on sustainable arrangements for issues affecting the daily lives of Yemenis, alongside continued engagement with the UN to relaunch a Yemeni-owned comprehensive political process. He stressed that mediation cannot replace political will and that Yemeni parties must choose dialogue, warning that any wider escalation could hinder the implementation of the release of more than 1,600 conflict-related detainees.
For his part, Fletcher said that millions of Yemenis, more than a decade into the conflict, face difficult daily choices between food, medicine, education, work, staying put, and displacement. He added that Yemen’s health system is on the verge of collapse, while food insecurity is worsening alongside expectations that “El Niño” (a natural climatic phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean leading to unusually high sea surface temperatures) will cause a 40 percent drop in rainfall in major agricultural areas, threatening crops, water availability, and rural livelihoods.
He noted that the UN managed to deliver aid to approximately 5.3 million people monthly in 2025, but funding shortages caused by uncertainty and lack of trust significantly hampered humanitarian operations. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs called on donors to provide flexible and guaranteed funding, urging conflict parties to protect civilians and ensure principled humanitarian action. Fletcher urged the Security Council to maintain its focus and unity to prevent further suffering and create space for genuine progress.
Yemen has been suffering from deteriorating humanitarian, economic, and living conditions for more than a decade, amid UN concerns that escalating military activities and renewed tensions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden could drag the country back into a wider conflict. (End) A.S.T. / M.A.H.A.
