Following a dispute between the Russian Ambassador, Vitaly Nebenzia, and the French Ambassador, President of the Security Council, Jérôme Bonnafont, over a procedural matter, the Council President allowed the Yemeni representative to be the first speaker after the briefing by Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari. The Russian Ambassador considered this a violation of long-standing custom, whereby Council members speak first, followed by concerned non-member states. However, the French Ambassador granted the floor to the Yemeni Ambassador after Khiari's remarks.
The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Khaled Khiari, warned of escalating clashes on Yemen’s west coast and their approach to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, noting that at least 125,000 people have been displaced since the beginning of September.
During Monday's emergency session of the Security Council, Khayari stated that the Houthis continued their advance toward the strait, amid reports of their control over several islands in the southern Red Sea. He added that commercial shipping had not yet been affected, but the developments had heightened market anxiety, coinciding with ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
the Yemeni government launched a counter-offensive, including extensive airstrikes, following Houthi advances last week. Clashes were reported in Marib, Lahj, Al-Jawf, Hajjah, Al-Bayda, Saada, and Taiz, with unconfirmed estimates suggesting hundreds of fighters were killed or wounded.
Khayari explained that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights had recorded, since the beginning of the month, the deaths of 40 civilians, including eight killed and 32 wounded. Women and children accounted for half of the dead and more than half of the wounded.
Some 2,300 people had fled to the Obock region of northern Djibouti by September 14, while UN teams continued to register arrivals and prepare for more. Khayari called on all parties to protect civilians and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access.
The escalation extended to Saudi Arabia, where, according to the Saudi coalition, 13 people were injured and seven homes were damaged as a result of missile and drone attacks targeting Abha, Khamis Mushait and Taif on September 14.
Khayari also pointed to the targeting of the East-West oil pipeline in the Riyadh and Medina regions by drones, reportedly launched from within Iraq. The attack forced the pipeline to shut down for repairs; this route was being used by Saudi Arabia as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. Riyadh announced it would refrain from escalating the situation in response to a request from the Iraqi Prime Minister, while Baghdad launched an urgent investigation and affirmed that its territory and airspace would not be used as a launching pad for attacks against any country.
The UN official reiterated the United Nations' condemnation of the Houthi cross-border attacks against civilians and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia. He called for the restoration and respect of freedom of navigation rights in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, in accordance with international law and Security Council Resolution 2722.
Khayari warned that the simultaneous tensions in Bab al-Mandab and the continued disruption of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz threaten energy markets, food security, and the economies of countries outside the region, particularly the most vulnerable. He stated, "The longer the strait remains blocked, the higher the global cost will be," and called on the Yemeni parties to de-escalate and engage in the UN-led political efforts.
Yemen's representative: The Houthis are advancing towards Bab al-Mandab.
Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Abdullah Ali Fadhl Al-Saadi, said that the Houthi escalation is no longer a Yemeni matter that can be contained within the country’s borders, but has become an increasing threat to the region’s security, freedom of navigation, energy supplies, and one of the most important arteries of global trade.
Al-Saadi explained during an emergency session of the Security Council that his country had warned the Council on September 10th about the Houthis' attempts to impose a military reality by force on the western coast and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. He added, "Today, we are no longer just warning of the danger; we are seeing it materialize before our very eyes."
He stressed that the Yemeni government is dealing with the recent developments with the aim of regaining control and preventing military gains from becoming a permanent reality.
He said that government forces are reorganizing and working to prevent the Houthis from using their presence on the coast as a platform to threaten international shipping.
He pointed out that Yemenis had previously recaptured Aden and other cities, as well as more than 70 percent of the country's territory, after the Houthis seized the capital and state institutions. He asserted that the group would not be able to transform its current territorial gains into a permanent position.
Al-Saadi emphasized that protecting Yemeni land, waters, and maritime routes also constitutes a defense of a shared international interest. He stated that the government forces' commitment to protecting civilians and adhering to the rules of engagement and international humanitarian law does not signify weakness or hesitation.
Bahrain's representative: The Houthis pose a threat to international waterways.
In a related development, Bahrain’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jamal Fares Al-Ruwaie, said that his country had joined Britain, Latvia, Greece and Denmark in requesting the emergency session to discuss the threats posed by the Houthi group to navigation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, and its attacks inside Yemen and against Saudi Arabia.
Al-Ruwaiei added that the Houthis' control of the coastal city of Mocha and large parts of the western coast, including the islands of Mayyun, Hanish, and Zuqar, poses a threat to international maritime routes. He noted that the escalation has forced civilians to flee their homes at a time when Yemen is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Bahrain reiterated its condemnation of the attacks targeting Saudi Arabia on September 8, including those on Taif, Jazan, and Khamis Mushait, which it said resulted in injuries and damage to homes, mosques, and civilian infrastructure. It also condemned the targeting and disruption of the East-West oil pipeline.Al-Ruwaiei affirmed Bahrain’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government, and its support for the legitimate measures taken to protect their security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations.
He also accused the Houthis of continuing to detain UN, civil society, and diplomatic staff, despite calls from the Security Council for their release. He said that the continued threats to navigation and attacks on neighboring countries, civilians, and infrastructure are forcing Yemenis to pay the price for conflicts and agendas that do not serve their country or its future.
US representative: We call on the Houthis to withdraw from the areas they have occupied.
In its statement, the United States called on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release UN, civil society, and diplomatic staff, along with more than 70 local employees with US ties whom it said the group was holding.
Washington stated that the Houthi attacks threaten regional and global energy security, noting that several tankers were targeted and at least three sailors were killed. It added that the threat to ships increases the costs of transportation, insurance, food, fuel, and medicine worldwide.
She noted that the missile and drone attacks on Saudi cities on September 14 and 15 injured 13 civilians. She also stated that the September 8 attacks injured more than 70 people, including women and children, and caused fires at oil facilities.
The United States reaffirmed its support for the Yemeni government and demanded that the Houthis halt their advance, withdraw from the territory they have seized, and end their attacks. It also accused Iran of arming, funding, and directing the group, and called on Tehran to cease this support.
Washington called on the Security Council to ensure effective implementation of Resolutions 2140 and 2216, and to halt the flow of weapons, equipment, technical assistance, training, and funding to the Houthis. It asserted that addressing external support is essential to limiting the group's capabilities and protecting maritime navigation and regional stability.
Saudi delegate: Houthi escalation threatens international trade routes in the Red Sea
Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative, Abdulaziz M. Al-Wasil, warned that the Houthi escalation threatens Yemen, regional security, international trade, and global supply chains. He pointed to the attacks on Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran, in which civilians were injured, as well as the renewed attacks on September 14 and the continued targeting of commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
He said the Houthis and their supporting militias are pursuing a policy of “strangling the straits,” holding the international community and the global economy hostage. He added that protecting vital waterways is a collective responsibility that requires a firm response from the Council and the implementation of Resolutions 2216 (2015) and 2722 (2024).
He stressed that Saudi Arabia remains committed to de-escalation and peace, while reserving its right to defend its territory and citizens, noting its support for the unity and sovereignty of Yemen and finding a comprehensive political solution.
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