UNITED NATIONS -- Russia and China on Wednesday accused the United States and Britain of illegally attacking military sites used by Yemen鈥檚 Houthi rebels to launch missiles at commercial vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting global shipping.
U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood and U.K. Ambassador Barbara Woodward countered that the Houthi attacks are illegal, and their 鈥減roportionate and legal action鈥� against the Yemen rebels are being taken in self-defense.
Woodward said the Houthi attacks are 鈥渄riving up the costs of global shipping, including the costs of food supplies and humanitarian aid in the region.鈥�
But Russia鈥檚 deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky and China鈥檚 UN envoy Zhang Jun argued that the UN Security Council never authorized military action against Yemen.
The clashes came at a council meeting where UN special envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said promising efforts to restore peace to Yemen have been slowed by rising regional tensions linked to the war in Gaza and "in particular the military escalation in the Red Sea.鈥�
Since November, the Houthi rebels have targeted ships in the Red Sea to demand a cease-fire in Israel鈥檚 offensive in Gaza. They have frequently attacked vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.
In recent weeks, the United States and the United Kingdom, backed by other allies, have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi missile arsenals and launch sites for its attacks.
Wood, the U.S. envoy, said American strikes in response to attacks on U.S. naval vessels, 鈥渁im to disrupt and degrade the Houthis鈥� ability to continue their reckless attacks against vessels and commercial shipping in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.鈥�
Since 2014, he said, Iran has provided the Houthis with 鈥渁 growing arsenal of advanced weapons鈥� that they have used to target commercial ships, and 鈥淚ran cannot deny its role in enabling and supporting the attacks carried out by the Houthis.鈥�
Wood accused the Houthis of 鈥渢rying to apply a chokehold on global shipping through the Red Sea鈥� and urged all countries, especially those with direct channels to Iran, 鈥渢o press Iran鈥檚 leaders to rein in the Houthis and stop these lawless attacks.鈥�
Russia鈥檚 Polyansky stressed that Moscow 鈥渃ategorically condemns attacks and seizures of commercial vessels and (...) any attacks which impede freedom of navigation.鈥� He said Russia has conveyed messages to the Houthi leaders to focus on Yemen鈥檚 domestic agenda and pursue peace.
Grundberg, the UN envoy, said that in late December the Houthis, who control the capital and much of the country鈥檚 north, and Yemen鈥檚 internationally recognized government 鈥渃ommitted to a nationwide cease-fire, measures to improve living conditions, and restarting an intra-Yemeni political process.鈥�
But he said Yemen鈥檚 peace process can鈥檛 be cordoned off from the events in the region, and the U.S. and U.K. attacks on Houthi targets, and the U.S. designation of the Houthis as a 鈥淪pecially Designated Terrorist Group鈥� are 鈥渃oncerning.鈥�
鈥淒espite potential complications, my work will continue no matter what,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is therefore imperative that we protect the political space, that communication channels are kept open and that all actors remain actively engaged with my efforts.鈥�
Russia鈥檚 Polyansky said the root cause of the current situation is Israel鈥檚 military offensive in Gaza following Hamas鈥� surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, which has provoked a chain reaction in the Middle East including by the Houthis.
鈥淎n immediate cease-fire in Gaza will help to stabilize the situation in the Red Sea, and the de-escalation in those waters will in turn unblock the efforts of the special envoy, Mr. Grundberg,鈥� Polyansky said.
Yemen鈥檚 civil war began in 2014 when the Houthis swept down from their northern stronghold and chased the internationally recognized government from Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year on behalf of the government and in time the conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The war has devastated Yemen, already the Arab region鈥檚 poorest country, and created one of the world鈥檚 worst humanitarian disasters.
Edem Wosornu, the UN humanitarian office鈥檚 director of operations, told the council that Yemen faces 鈥渕assive continuing needs.鈥�
This year, she said, over 18 million people 鈥� over half the country鈥檚 population 鈥� will need humanitarian aid.
The UN anticipates that 17.6 million people will be 鈥渟everely food insecure鈥� 鈥� facing serious hunger, she said. 鈥淣early half of all children under five face moderate to severe stunting鈥� of their growth and development.
Last year, the UN received just 40 per cent of its US$4.3 billion humanitarian appeal, she said. This year, the Yemen appeal is more targeted and seeks US$2.7 billion to reach 11.2 million people across Yemen.
