Houthi rebels arrest three UN workers in Sanaa
Yemen’s Houthi rebels detained three United Nations workers accused of espionage for Israel, a security source told news agencies on Sunday. Two female employees from the World Food Program were taken from their homes in Sanaa on Saturday, while a male colleague was arrested that night. Authorities claim they possess a list of additional suspects linked to Israeli and American intelligence operations.
The detentions bring the total number of UN personnel held to at least 10 this week alone. Houthi forces raided the UN compound last week and briefly detained 20 staff members before releasing them hours later. Twelve foreign employees departed Yemen on Wednesday following the incident, which raised safety concerns for international humanitarian workers.
The group has held 55 UN employees since 2021 and continues targeting aid organizations it claims helped Israel strike a government meeting that killed the Houthi prime minister in August. UN officials deny the allegations and warn that the arrests threaten critical assistance programs serving millions of Yemenis facing severe food shortages and economic collapse from years of civil conflict.
