Tensions in Yemen have escalated sharply as Iranian-backed Houthi rebels detained 20 United Nations employees in Sanaa on Sunday, October 19, 2025 just one day after raiding another UN facility.
The move has sparked international concern and marked a dangerous turn in the Houthis’ ongoing clampdown on humanitarian operations.
According to Jean Alam, spokesperson for the UN resident coordinator for Yemen, the detained staff members were taken inside a UN facility in the Hada neighborhood of Sanaa.
Those held include five Yemenis and 15 international staff, while another 11 employees were released after interrogation.
“The United Nations is in contact with the Houthis and other relevant parties to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa,” Alam said in a statement.
A second UN official, who spoke anonymously, revealed that the rebels seized all communications equipment, including phones, computers, and servers from the raided offices.
The detained personnel are reportedly from multiple agencies such as UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
This is not the first time UN operations have been targeted in Houthi-controlled areas.
In recent months, the rebels have intensified pressure on international organizations, accusing them without presenting evidence of spying.
The UN has strongly denied these allegations.
Moreover, aid operations in Yemen have been severely disrupted as a result of these repeated detentions.
Earlier this year, a World Food Programme worker tragically died in Houthi custody in Saada province, prompting the UN to suspend operations in the area.
The detention of UN workers in Yemen forms part of a broader trend of intimidation against humanitarian staff.
More than 50 UN employees have been detained in Houthi-held territories since early 2024, according to UN data.
In addition, the continued arrests have forced aid organizations to scale back or relocate their operations.
In January, the UN was compelled to suspend activities in Saada province and move its top humanitarian coordinator from Sanaa to Aden, the seat of Yemen’s internationally recognized government.
The latest incident has triggered an outpouring of concern among the global humanitarian community.
Diplomats fear that the arrests could further destabilize relief efforts in Yemen, where millions rely on international aid to survive amid ongoing conflict and famine risks.
The rebels have been tightening their control over aid groups, limiting access, and imposing new restrictions on relief activities.
