The Iran-backed Houthi regime in Yemen has detained yet another UN worker, intensifying a hostage crisis fueled by fabricated “Israeli espionage” accusations.
The United Nations confirmed Monday that another UN staff member has been abducted by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, bringing the total number of UN personnel detained in recent days to six, according to Reuters.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric revealed that Houthi security forces stormed multiple UN offices in the capital Sanaa on Sunday, seizing communication systems, IT servers, and other essential assets — a move described by diplomats as a direct assault on international humanitarian work.
Currently, at least 59 UN employees remain imprisoned by the Houthis, with some held for years under appalling conditions. The UN condemned the ongoing arrests as “deeply alarming and unjustifiable,” warning that the group’s actions have made it nearly impossible to deliver lifesaving aid to millions of Yemenis.
In an outrageous propaganda maneuver, the Houthis accused three of the detained UN staffers of “spying for Israel”, echoing Tehran’s narrative that blames the Jewish state for Yemen’s internal strife. The baseless claim drew sharp criticism from Western officials, who called it a dangerous extension of Iran’s regional disinformation campaign.
Last week, the Houthis released 12 UN employees after intense diplomatic pressure but have since resumed their crackdown, signaling defiance toward both the UN and international law.
Observers warn that this latest round of detentions exposes the expanding Iranian influence in Yemen and its systematic targeting of Western and Israeli-linked entities, even when none exist. The message is clear: Iran’s proxies are weaponizing hostage-taking as diplomacy.
