Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding Khaled Khairy. UN Security Council discusses ‘highly unpredictable’ situation in Middle East Peace and Security
The Middle East is in the midst of another dangerous escalation, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Peacebuilding Khaled Khairy told the UN Security Council on Monday.
The fighting between Israel and Yemen’s Houthis has become extremely unpredictable in recent weeks, Khairy said. The latest round of military escalation follows a year of increased Houthi attacks on Israel, as well as on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, threatening civilians, regional stability and freedom of navigation.
Missile Fire
The Houthis have carried out at least 11 attacks on Israel using ballistic missiles and drones since December 13, according to the UN assistant chief. On December 19, Israel carried out airstrikes on energy and port infrastructure in the Houthi-controlled ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Isa, as well as Sanaa.
The Israel Defense Forces said the strikes hit military targets, but nine civilians were reported killed. The Red Sea ports suffered extensive damage, reducing their capacity. Israel also struck two power plants in Sanaa, causing temporary power outages in the capital.
While many rockets fired by the Houthis from Yemen have been intercepted, on December 20 a warhead damaged an elementary school in Ramat Gan, central Israel. On December 21 another rocket landed in a residential area in Jaffa, causing damage to nearby homes. The incident injured 16 civilians, including a three-year-old child.
On December 26, Israeli aircraft struck Sanaa International Airport, Red Sea ports on Yemen’s west coast and other targets that Israel believed were being used for military purposes.
“The risks associated with disruption to humanitarian missions at a time when millions of people in Yemen need life-saving assistance are a grave concern,” Khaled Khairy said.
UN delegation under attack
At least six people were killed and dozens wounded in strikes in Yemen on December 26. At the time of the shelling, a high-level UN delegation led by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was at Sana’a airport, negotiating the release of UN and other staff detained by the Houthis.
“We must do everything possible to reverse the negative trajectory by supporting comprehensive efforts to end the conflicts in the Middle East,” Khaled Khairy concluded. “We need to get back on track for sustainable peace and stability, which is in the interests of all the peoples of the region.”