Houthis Retaliate Against Israeli Strike That Killed Prime Minister by Raiding UN Compounds in Yemen | WPN World People News

On August 31, Yemen’s Houthi armed group launched raids on several United Nations facilities in the capital city, Sana’a, and forcibly detained at least 11 UN staff members. The violent incident occurred just three days after an Israeli airstrike killed key figures in the Houthi-led government, including the Prime Minister and several ministers, drawing intense international concern.

According to foreign media reports, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a strong statement condemning the Houthi forces for forcibly entering the offices of UN agencies such as the World Food Programme. The group reportedly seized UN property and attempted to gain access to other UN offices in Sana’a. Guterres called for the immediate release of all detained personnel and urged respect for international humanitarian law.

UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, stated that the kidnapped UN personnel came from various agencies, including UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), all of which have offices in Sana’a and Hodeidah.

Grundberg noted that this was not the first time the Houthis had detained UN staff. Previously, they had held 23 UN employees, some of whom have been imprisoned since 2021. Tragically, one of the detainees reportedly died in custody earlier this year.

The raid appears to have been triggered by an Israeli airstrike on Sana’a on August 28. The military action targeted senior leadership of the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement and resulted in the deaths of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet ministers. In response, the Houthis issued threats of retaliation and warned foreign businesses to evacuate Israel immediately.

Israel stated that the airstrike was primarily aimed at top Houthi figures such as the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense, though it has not confirmed whether the Defense Minister was among the casualties.