France urges immediate halt to Houthi escalation, says Red Sea navigation non-negotiable

France has called on the Houthis to immediately halt all military operations in Yemen and the region, warning that the recent escalation poses a direct threat to international peace and security and increases risks to freedom of navigation and global trade.

France’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jerome Bonnafont, told an emergency Security Council session on Yemen that his country, along with several partners, requested the meeting following the armed attack launched by the Houthis on September 3, as well as ongoing attacks against Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Saudi Arabia, and the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Bonnafont added that the Houthis “chose escalation” when they forcibly seized the Yemeni coast on the Red Sea on September 11, stressing that France condemns these actions “in the strongest terms” and demands the group immediately cease all military operations in Yemen and the region.

The French envoy reiterated his country’s full solidarity with the legitimate Yemeni authorities and Saudi Arabia, describing the latest developments as a dangerous escalation that threatens regional stability and undermines efforts to reach a political settlement to the Yemeni conflict.

France also directly criticized Iran, calling on it to stop supplying weapons to the Houthis in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216, and to end what it described as destabilizing policies in the region, including actions affecting the security of international maritime routes.

France’s Permanent Representative to the UN emphasized that seas and oceans are not “lawless zones,” affirming that the use of international waters is governed by international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He stated that freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and international straits is a “non-negotiable principle,” calling for full compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions. He stressed that the international community cannot accept further disruption to global supply chains resulting from threats to maritime shipping.

He added that imposing unilateral restrictions or conditions on the passage of ships through international straits would set a dangerous precedent under international law, arguing that global trade should not be held hostage to such measures.

The French envoy to the UN affirmed that what is needed is the full and unconditional reopening of maritime corridors to ensure maritime security and restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.

He noted that France will continue its efforts within European and international frameworks to protect maritime navigation and secure strategic passages, emphasizing that France maintains a “strictly defensive posture” in coordination with its European and international partners.

He explained that Paris is ready, when conditions permit, to contribute to restoring freedom of navigation through the multinational military mission in the region, stressing that these efforts are defensive and neutral in nature, and have been launched in cooperation with the United Kingdom and more than 30 international partners.

On the political front, France said that ending the Yemeni crisis requires first halting the Houthi military escalation as a prelude to resuming a comprehensive UN-sponsored political process involving all components of Yemeni society. It also stressed the need for the immediate release of humanitarian workers and UN staff detained by the Houthis, saying their detention worsens the humanitarian crisis and undermines relief efforts.

Paris reaffirmed its full support for the efforts of UN Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg, urging all parties to immediately engage in negotiations leading to a sustainable political settlement and restoring stability to Yemen and the region.