Sanaa, Yemen – Iran-backed Houthi forces stormed United Nations offices in the Yemeni capital on Sunday, just days after an Israeli airstrike killed the head of the rebel-controlled government, Ahmed al-Rahawi.
The attacks targeted the local offices of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), both based in Sanaa. According to official statements from both agencies, Houthi-aligned security forces entered the premises and detained a number of staff members.
“A WFP staff member and several UNICEF staff have been detained,” spokespersons confirmed to CNN. “We are urgently seeking additional information from local authorities. Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our staff.”
It remains unclear if the raids were a direct response to Israel’s recent strike or part of broader Houthi hostility toward international organizations, which they have previously targeted.
The storming of the UN offices follows the killing of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday, a move confirmed by the head of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council. Other senior Houthi officials were also reportedly killed in the attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended the strike and signaled more are to come. “This is only the beginning,” Netanyahu said during a government meeting on Sunday. “We will reach all of them. The Houthis will pay a very heavy price for their aggression against the State of Israel.”
The Houthis have been a persistent threat to Israel in recent months, launching missiles and drones toward Israeli territory and attacking international vessels in the Red Sea, which the group says is retaliation for Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Yemen remains deeply divided. Since 2014, the Houthis have controlled Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, while the internationally recognized, UN-backed government maintains authority in the south.
The Yemeni information minister, Moammar al-Eryani, condemned the Houthi actions in Sanaa, describing the raid on UN facilities as “a dangerous escalation” and calling on the international community to respond.
The situation remains tense in Sanaa, with the UN and aid organizations closely monitoring developments amid growing concerns for staff safety.
