UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Friday warned of a growing risk of renewed large-scale conflict in Yemen amid escalating attacks by the Houthi group against Saudi tankers and Yemeni government forces.
In a statement, Grundberg pointed to the latest attacks by the Houthi group in the provinces of Marib and Hadramout, which reportedly caused significant casualties, including civilians, as well as “attacks on commercial shipping” in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Xinhua reported.
He expressed concern over strikes on civilian infrastructure, including airports, and the broader rise in regional tensions.
“Taken together, these developments risk jeopardising the gains of the 2022 truce,” Grundberg said, warning that they could draw Yemen into “a broader regional confrontation.”
Grundberg noted he had held intensive discussions in recent weeks with Yemeni parties, regional actors and international partners to explore options for de-escalation.
He called on all parties to exercise “maximum restraint,” halt actions that could trigger military retaliation and engage in good-faith negotiations under UN auspices.
