Yemen urges UN Security Council to tighten arms embargo on Houthis

Yemen’s government has called on the United Nations and the Security Council to step up enforcement of the arms embargo imposed on the Houthi group, and to hold those responsible for the October 7 attack on Aden International Airport accountable, warning of growing threats to civil aviation and maritime navigation in the region.

The appeal came in a letter delivered by Yemen’s Permanent Representative Abdullah Al-Saadi to the UN and Security Council, urging condemnation of the attack and full, effective implementation of the arms embargo in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2216 of 2015.

Al-Saadi explained that the attack occurred early Wednesday using two ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones, coinciding with the approach of a civilian flight and the presence of aircraft, passengers, and staff inside the airport, putting their lives at risk and threatening aviation safety.

The Yemeni government said the targeting of Aden airport reflects the shift of threats it had previously warned about regarding aviation safety in the southern Red Sea, from potential risks to international air routes to the direct targeting of a civilian facility.

It warned of overlapping risks facing civil aviation and threats to maritime navigation and regional security, calling on the Security Council to take measures to prevent the Houthis from obtaining weapons, equipment, components, technology, and military expertise.

The government also called for enhanced international cooperation with Yemeni institutions to protect airports, civilian facilities, and air routes, expressing its readiness to work with the UN, Security Council, International Civil Aviation Organization, and the Yemen Panel of Experts to share information and evidence to assess risks and prevent future attacks.

The diplomatic calls coincided with the sixth day of Yemen’s military operation “Dawn of Yemen,” as government forces announced they had secured control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the strategic island of Mayun, consolidating their positions on heights overlooking the international shipping lane.

This advance is part of ongoing military operations to retake coastal areas, strengthening government forces’ positions on the western coast as they approach one of the world’s key maritime trade routes.