U.N. Demands Yemen's Houthis Halt Maritime Attacks Amid Gaza Conflict

The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution urging Yemen's Houthi rebels to cease attacks on ships and address maritime security disruption in a vital Middle East waterway. The rebels claim the attacks relate to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, which has led to significant shipping disruptions and a humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

The U.N. Security Council has issued a resolution compelling Yemen's Houthi rebels to immediately halt their assaults on ships. The approved measure cites the need to urgently address maritime security disruptions in a crucial Middle Eastern waterway, exacerbated by the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

Earning a 12-0 vote with abstentions from Russia, China, and Algeria, the resolution extends the monthly reporting requirement by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden waters. Remarkably, there was no direct mention of the rebels' claim that their actions are a response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Maritime traffic has notably dwindled, affecting trade routes critical to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. While the Houthis argue their campaign will persist as long as the conflict in Gaza endures, the resolution criticizes the ongoing attacks.

Instances of over 60 targeted vessels, leading to casualties and damage, underscore the heightened tensions and humanitarian crisis. U.S.-led countermeasures have also intensified, with airstrikes harming both military and civilian infrastructure. The internationally-recognized Yemeni government remains exiled, and the Saudi-Iran proxy conflict continues to exacerbate the regional instability.

This motion follows a prior resolution from January and emphasizes restraint to mitigate further escalation. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood, representing the U.S. and Japan, pressed the global challenge posed by Houthi actions and called for a strict arms embargo enforcement. Meanwhile, Russian and Chinese representatives urged a political, rather than military, resolution to the ongoing conflict.

With the proposal for a lasting ceasefire to stabilize conditions, the international community remains divided on the path forward, highlighting the complex geopolitical facets at play.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)