Grundberg in Muscat to Pressure Houthis to End Taiz Siege, Open Roads

United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
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Grundberg in Muscat to Pressure Houthis to End Taiz Siege, Open Roads

United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)
United Nations envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg speaks during a news conference in Sanaa, April 13, 2022. (Reuters)

UN Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg is racing to garner approval for extending the humanitarian truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthi militias. However, the government is insisting on Houthis lifting the siege of Taiz and complying with their obligations under the truce.

On Tuesday, Grundberg met with the spokesman of the Houthi group and its chief negotiator, Muhammad Abdul Salam Fleitah. The two met in the presence of Omani officials in the Sultanate’s capital, Muscat.

According to his office, Grundberg stressed “the need to reopen roads in Taiz and other areas of Yemen, to renew the armistice, and to take serious steps towards ending the conflict in a comprehensive manner.”

While the Yemeni government confirms that it has fulfilled all its obligations regarding the implementation of the two-month truce that began on April 2, Houthis are still blockading Taiz.

The Yemeni government has complied with the terms of the armistice, reopened Sanaa airport to commercial flights, as well as having permitted the flow of fuel to the port of Hodeidah.

Grundberg on Monday held meetings with the country's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) in the southern port city of Aden. This is the third visit within a month for the UN envoy to the Yemeni interim capital.

“Rashad Muhammad Al-Alimi, Chairman of the PLC, along with the two Vice-Presidents of the PLC, Aidarous Al-Zubaidi, and Dr. Abdullah Al-Alimi, met today, Monday, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hans Grundberg, on his third visit this month to the temporary capital Aden,” reported state news agency, Saba.

Al-Alimi and his two deputies were briefed by the UN envoy on the developments of the ongoing efforts to implement the truce, and the opportunities to extend it and build on it to push the militias towards a comprehensive and just peace in accordance with the agreed local, regional and international references.

Grundberg presented the results of the first phase of negotiations, regarding the opening of the crossings of Taiz and other provinces, in which the Houthis continued their intransigence and their failure to implement the terms of the truce related to opening roads in Taiz and other provinces in order to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people.

During the meeting, the PLC chairman stressed the importance of pushing the militia to fulfill its obligations under the truce agreement, including opening all crossings, and paying employees’ salaries from the revenues of oil derivatives ships arriving at the ports of Hodeidah.

Al-Alimi affirmed the continued support of the leadership and the legitimate government for the UN efforts to implement the terms of the truce, and to provide more initiatives to alleviate the human suffering of the Yemeni people, and not to compromise on any of their rights guaranteed under the constitution and relevant international laws.



US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
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US Targets Houthis with Fresh Sanctions Action

Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)
Houthi members ride a pick-up truck while on patrol amid tensions with Israel, in Sanaa, Yemen, 18 July 2025. (EPA)

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on what it said was a Houthi-linked petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network across Yemen and the United Arab Emirates in fresh action targeting the Iran-backed militant group.

The US Treasury Department in a statement said the two individuals and five entities sanctioned on Tuesday were among the most significant importers of petroleum products and money launderers that benefit the Houthis.

"The Houthis collaborate with opportunistic businessmen to reap enormous profits from the importation of petroleum products and to enable the group’s access to the international financial system," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"These networks of shady businesses underpin the Houthis’ terrorist machine, and Treasury will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt these schemes."

Among those targeted on Tuesday was Muhammad Al-Sunaydar, who the Treasury said manages a network of petroleum companies between Yemen and the United Arab Emirates and was one of the most prominent petroleum importers in Yemen.

Three companies in his network were also designated, with the Treasury saying they coordinated the delivery of approximately $12 million dollars’ worth of Iranian petroleum products with a US-designated company to the Houthis.

Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian group Hamas began in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in what they say are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

In January, Trump re-designated the Houthi movement as a foreign terrorist organization, aiming to impose harsher economic penalties in response to its attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and against US warships defending the critical maritime area.

In May, the United States announced a surprise deal with the Houthis where it agreed to stop a bombing campaign against them in return for an end to shipping attacks, though the Houthis said the deal did not include sparing Israel.

The Israeli military attacked Houthi targets in Yemen's Hodeidah port on Monday in its latest assault on the militants, who have been striking ships bound for Israel and launching missiles against it.