Yemen Warns UN of Threat of Houthi Control Over Bab el-Mandeb
Yemen warned the UN that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could become a tool of blackmail in the hands of the Houthis. Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Abdullah Al-Saadi, called on other countries at an emergency meeting of the Security Council to share responsibility for the security of the strategic sea route, The National reports.
Call for international responsibility
According to Al-Saadi, the Houthis control the area around the strait. He called the group a transnational terrorist organization and said that the security of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has consequences far beyond Yemen.
The diplomat stressed that every vessel, cargo shipment, energy supply and supply chain dependent on this route is linked to the economic security of countries located thousands of kilometers from Yemen. The Security Council meeting was convened at the request of Greece, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, France, Latvia and Denmark.
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Hostilities and diplomats’ statements
Last week, according to the publication, the Houthis rapidly advanced territorially, establishing control over Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group has been fighting Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia since hostilities in the civil war intensified again in July. The Houthis also declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia and began attacking vessels linked to it in the Red Sea.
UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Kate Foster said that the escalation by the Houthis “did not arise in a vacuum.” According to her, Iran’s continued support for the Houthis enables them to carry out attacks that threaten civilians, neighboring states, maritime security and prospects for peace. She called on UN member states to fulfill their obligations, including by preventing the transfer of weapons and military support to the Houthis.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, supported Saudi Arabia’s right to self-defense. He warned that the expansion of Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait area poses an increasing threat to international shipping.
