United Nations Secretary-General Guterres denounces the imprisonment of UN personnel in Yemen.

In recent developments, the Houthis, a group of Shia rebels backed by Iran, have been launching missile attacks against Israel since October 2023. These attacks come amidst a series of mutual attacks between the two parties.

The most recent attacks, which occurred last Thursday, resulted in the deaths of several high-ranking officials in the government controlled by the Houthis, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi. The location of these attacks remains unspecified.

The Houthis are part of the "resistance axis" against Israel, led and funded by Iran. This alliance also includes extremist groups such as the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and Lebanese Hezbollah.

The Houthis have vowed to avenge the death of Ahmed al-Rahawi, and it remains to be seen how this escalation will unfold.

It is important to note that the UN has not stated who was responsible for these attacks. The UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has appealed for Yemen not to become a battlefield and for attacks to cease.

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has condemned the arbitrary detention of at least 11 UN officials by the Houthi authorities in Yemen on August 31st. The UN has also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN officials, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society members, and diplomatic missions arbitrarily detained.

Interestingly, a ceasefire between the Houthis and the United States, Israel's main ally, came into effect in May this year. However, the Houthis have ceased attacking US interests in the region, including ships in the Red Sea, as part of the ceasefire, not necessarily Israel.

Mohammed Ahmad Mouftah, who was appointed as interim Prime Minister by the Houthis in October 2022, is currently leading the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The UN's stance on the recent attacks remains neutral, emphasising the need for peace and the resolution of conflicts through dialogue.