Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has placed United Nations staff at the top of his list of “enemies,” accusing employees of the World Food Program (WFP) and UNICEF of carrying out “espionage” for the United States and Israel, and holding some responsible for the killing of his government’s prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi, and nine ministers in an Israeli airstrike on Sanaa in late August.
The accusations came in al-Houthi’s weekly sermon on Thursday evening, at a time when 53 UN staff members remain detained, some for up to four years. Humanitarian and rights observers fear his remarks could signal a new wave of prosecutions, possibly including death sentences, amid charges of “espionage” and “collaboration.”
In his address, al-Houthi framed the security apparatus as “a twin of the military field in confronting enemies,” claiming that his group’s security forces “arrested espionage cells working for Americans and Israelis under the cover of humanitarian work.”
He alleged that some of these cells included personnel from the WFP and UNICEF, claiming they “provided information and coordinates to Israeli intelligence,” which led to the targeting of a government meeting in Sanaa and the killing of Prime Minister al-Rahawi and several ministers.
Al-Houthi further asserted that these “espionage cells” used their affiliation with UN organizations “as a cover for hostile activities,” and that “safety and security officials in one UN agency played a central role in the crime targeting the government.”
He claimed that his group possesses “conclusive evidence” of their involvement in surveillance and communication breaches, adding that “instead of holding the perpetrators accountable, the United Nations blames our security forces,” a charge the UN has repeatedly and firmly denied.
Concerns Over Wider Abuses
Analysts say the Houthi attacks on the UN aim to divert attention from mounting losses among field commanders and justify widespread arrests of UN personnel in Sanaa and other areas under Houthi control.
Observers also note that the escalation against aid workers comes as the group faces increasing isolation. Its naval attacks in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb have led to its international designation as a “terrorist group threatening maritime navigation.”
Relief sources warn that the coming days could see further Houthi crackdowns on international staff, particularly as the group insists on linking humanitarian activity to what it calls “US-Israeli aggression.”
Yemeni human rights circles fear the group could carry out executions of some detainees to intimidate aid workers and tighten control over their operations in a country grappling with the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
In recent comments, the UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said he discussed with ambassadors from the five permanent members of the Security Council, as well as others, the continued detention of UN personnel, diplomats, and NGO workers by the Houthis.
Grundberg stressed that such actions obstruct humanitarian operations and undermine peace efforts. He underscored that the safety of all aid workers is a top UN priority and called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained staff.
Acknowledging Losses
Al-Houthi’s escalation against UN staff follows the group’s admission of the killing of its chief of staff, Muhammad Abdel Karim al-Ghamari, in an Israeli airstrike believed to have targeted Sanaa in mid-June, and the appointment of leader Youssef al-Madani as his replacement.
Al-Ghamari was among the group’s top military commanders, closely aligned with al-Houthi ideologically and operationally, responsible for mine deployment, oversight of missile and naval attacks, and maintaining ties with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Commenting on the development, Yemeni Information Minister Moammer al-Eryani said the Houthi acknowledgment of al-Ghamari’s death “reveals the group’s security failures and internal confusion.”
He added that “the delayed admission reflects leadership chaos within the group and confirms its declining capacity to manage frontlines or maintain internal cohesion.”
Al-Eryani noted that “the past months have seen precise strikes targeting first- and second-tier Houthi leadership,” causing “a clear fracture in the group’s military, political, and media hierarchy.” He emphasized that “the late acknowledgments and recent hostile statements expose the group’s fragility and the erosion of its terrorist project.”
