Houthis Raid UN Offices in Yemen Following Israeli Airstrike

On Sunday, August 31, 2025, Houthi forces in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, conducted raids on the offices of the United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF, detaining at least one UN employee. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the WFP, confirmed the incident, stating that security forces entered the agencies' offices that morning. Etefa emphasized that the arbitrary detention of humanitarian staff is unacceptable.

UNICEF spokesperson Ammar Ammar acknowledged an ongoing situation related to their offices in Sanaa but did not provide further details. A UN official indicated that contact had been lost with several WFP and UNICEF staff members, suggesting they may have also been detained.

These raids are part of a broader pattern of Houthi actions against international organizations operating in areas under their control. Previously, the Houthis have detained numerous UN staffers and individuals associated with aid groups and civil society organizations. In January, the UN suspended operations in the Houthi stronghold of Saada after eight UN staffers were detained.

The recent escalation follows an Israeli airstrike on Thursday, August 28, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Gamal Amer and Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed al-Medani. The officials were reportedly attending a government workshop at the time of the strike.

The Israeli military described the operation as a precision strike targeting officials involved in actions against Israel. This marks the first time Israel has successfully targeted high-ranking Houthi officials since the conflict with Hamas in Gaza escalated in 2023.

In response to the airstrike, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi vowed to escalate military actions against Israel, including missile and drone attacks, as well as a naval blockade. He stated that their approach is continuous, steady, and escalating.