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The United Nations has warned of a dangerous escalation in the Middle East following renewed Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, urging all parties to avoid actions that could deepen the US-Iran conflict and further disrupt global shipping.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the resumption of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, formally known as Ansar Allah, on commercial ships and the growing threats to maritime navigation in one of the world’s busiest trade corridors.
In a statement issued on Friday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the attacks risk intensifying regional tensions and drawing Yemen further into the widening conflict.
“The attack on commercial vessels, claimed by the Houthis, risks further heightening regional tensions and widening the current cycle of escalation with the potential to draw Yemen deeper into regional conflict,” Dujarric said.
He warned that renewed hostilities in Yemen could undermine prospects for peace while triggering serious economic, humanitarian and environmental consequences across the region and beyond.
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital Sana’a and much of the country’s west, have threatened to blockade the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a strategic maritime gateway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. On Thursday, the group claimed responsibility for attacks on two Saudi oil tankers, according to media reports.
The UN chief called for immediate de-escalation and urged the Houthis to refrain from further attacks or provocative actions, in line with UN Security Council resolutions protecting commercial shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg also voiced concern over the renewed attacks and said he had intensified consultations with Yemeni, regional and international stakeholders in an effort to prevent further escalation.
The latest developments come as the broader US-Iran conflict continues to intensify. The current round of hostilities began in late February following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region. Although a ceasefire announced in April temporarily eased tensions, it collapsed this month amid disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which roughly one-quarter of global oil and gas trade passes.
Separately, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called for urgent action to protect thousands of seafarers stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), around 6,000 crew members aboard some 400 vessels remain trapped in the area after being unable to leave during the ceasefire. The UN believes the actual number may be even higher, with many smaller vessels yet to be accounted for.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) also reported that some shipowners had abandoned their crews at sea. At least nine vessels carrying 93 crew members have reportedly been left without food, drinking water, fuel, electricity, medical care or communication with their families since the conflict began.
UN officials warned that prolonged isolation in an active conflict zone poses serious risks to the physical and mental well-being of seafarers. At least 17 seafarers have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict.
“Attacks against civilian vessels are unacceptable and must stop. They are protected under international humanitarian law,” OHCHR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said.
The UN urged governments, shipowners and all parties to the conflict to ensure stranded seafarers receive consular assistance, essential supplies and safe evacuation, while facilitating their repatriation and guaranteeing secure passage through the affected waterways. Source: UN News
