Iran-Backed Houthis in Yemen Kidnap UN Staff After Leader’s Death in Israeli Strike 

Yemen’s Houthi rebels raided the offices of several United Nations organizations and detained 11 staff members on Sunday, a day after an Israeli strike killed the prime minister of the militant group’s government, the Washington Post reported. 

UN special envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said in a statement Sunday that Houthi forces known as Ansar Allah forced their way into the organization’s premises in the capital, Sanaa, and the port city of Hodeida.  

They confiscated UN property and detained staff members from the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and UNICEF, the Guardian noted. 

The UN Secretary General António Guterres strongly condemned the arrests, asking for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained, according to France 24.  

Grundberg added that these arrests add to the 23 UN personnel already being detained by the Houthis, some since 2021 and 2023. One UN employee died in custody earlier this year. 

The kidnapping of more UN staff came after the Iranian-backed Houthis, who control parts of Yemen, announced the death of their prime minister, Ahmad al-Rahawi, and several other ministers due to an Israeli strike on a government meeting in Sanaa on Thursday. 

Rahawi will be replaced by his deputy, Muhammad Ahmad Miftah, according to the Houthis’ satellite television channel Al-Masirah. 

Rahawi is the highest-ranking Houthi official killed since Israel began targeting the group in retaliation for its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea and on Israel. The Houthis argue that those attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza who are being attacked by Israel, and would stop when a ceasefire is in place. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that they intend to continue assassinating senior Houthi officials. 

Meanwhile, the Houthis on Monday claimed responsibility for a missile attack on an oil tanker off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, the Associated Press wrote. 

In a pre-recorded message aired on Al-Masirah, the Houthi military spokesman alleged the vessel, the Liberian-flagged Scarlet Ray, owned by Eastern Pacific, was tied to Israel. Eastern Pacific, which is ultimately owned by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer, had previously been targeted in attacks believed to have been orchestrated by Iran.  

The company said in a statement that there were no injuries and the vessel remained undamaged.