Houthis Detain 20 UN Staff in Yemen Amid Ongoing Arrests

Houthi rebels in Yemen have detained 20 United Nations staff members, including 15 international and 5 Yemeni personnel, after storming a UN compound in the capital, Sanaa. Among those held is Peter Hawkins, the UNICEF representative in Yemen. The Houthis have accused the detained UN workers of spying for the United States and Israel, claims strongly rejected by the UN, which called the allegations "dangerous and unacceptable." This incident follows previous raids where over 11 UN employees were also arrested, highlighting an escalating pattern of arbitrary detentions of aid workers by the Iran-backed group. The UN is actively engaging with Houthi authorities, Yemen's government, and international stakeholders to secure the immediate release of all detained personnel and regain control over its facilities. Amidst these challenges, the UN has relocated its humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden to ensure continued operations and safety for its staff.