Members of the UN Security Council called on the Houthis to immediately end their military escalation in Yemen and attacks on civilians and civilian sites. They condemned the group’s continued attacks on Saudi Arabia, including strikes on civilian infrastructure and energy facilities that injured civilians, among them women and children.
In a press statement issued on September 18, 2026, Council members renewed their condemnation of attacks and threats against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab. They stressed the importance of protecting ships and their crews and respecting navigational rights and freedoms under international law.
They warned that the escalation in Yemen, attacks on Saudi Arabia and international shipping, and the Houthis’ advance in Bab al-Mandab risk widening the conflict, threatening maritime security and international trade, and undermining peace efforts.
Council members expressed concern over reports of civilian deaths and injuries and the displacement of at least 125,000 people across Yemen since the beginning of September, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. They also cited damage to civilian sites and infrastructure resulting from Houthi attacks, warning that continued escalation could worsen the humanitarian situation and displace more people.
They called on all parties to ensure full, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access and to protect humanitarian workers. They renewed their demand for the immediate, safe and unconditional release of detainees, including 73 UN personnel, as well as staff of nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations and diplomatic missions.
Council members stressed the need to fully implement Resolution 2216 and subsequent resolutions. They called for practical cooperation, including with the Yemeni government, to prevent the Houthis from obtaining weapons, funding and other forms of support linked to military activities. They reaffirmed that all member states must comply with their obligations under the targeted arms embargo.
They expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia in the face of attacks on civilians and civilian sites on its territory and affirmed its right to self-defense under international law. They also renewed their support for the Yemeni government, Yemen’s unity and sovereignty, and UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg’s efforts to reach a comprehensive, Yemeni-led negotiated political settlement.
