UN concerned about Houthi threats after US airstrikes in Yemen

United Nations, March 18 (IANS) The United Nations is concerned about the Houthi threat to resume attacks on ships in the Red Sea following US attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, a UN spokesman said.

"The secretary-general calls for full freedom of navigation in the Red Sea," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday. "We reiterate our concern at the launching of multiple strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen by the United States in recent days."

Haq said the Houthis reported that US airstrikes had killed 53 people and injured another 101 in Sana'a City, Sa'ada and Al Baydah governorates.

The casualty toll included civilians. The strikes also disrupted power supplies in nearby areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The UN calls for utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities," he said. "Any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions, fuel cycles of retaliation that may further destabilise Yemen and the region and pose grave risks to the already dire humanitarian situation in the country."

The spokesman called for all parties to respect international law, including international humanitarian law, at all times. He also called for the recent Security Council resolution related to Houthi attacks against merchant and commercial vessels to be fully respected.

"The United Nations remains committed to continuing its efforts towards broader de-escalation in Yemen as well as continued engagement with the Yemeni, regional and international stakeholders in order to secure a sustainable and peaceful resolution to the conflict, and ultimately a better future for the Yemeni people," Haq said.

The spokesman also said the UN special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, reported over the weekend that he has been in close contact with Yemeni, regional, and international stakeholders.

"He has called for utmost restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law, and he has pushed for a refocus on diplomacy to avoid uncontrollable destabilization in Yemen and in the region," Haq said. "Further contacts are held by his office on numerous levels."

Grundberg further called for support from the international community so that the UN-led mediation efforts can deliver results despite the complexity of the regional dimension of this situation, including the situation in the Red Sea.

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