In a closed Security Council session, the US is leading efforts to impose comprehensive sanctions on the Houthis
Yemen Monitor/ New York/ Exclusive:
A closed-door session of the UN Security Council is scheduled for Wednesday to discuss Yemen, following a vote to extend the sanctions regime for another year. The US is seeking to impose asset freezes on the Houthis as an entity, rather than as individuals.
According to the council’s agenda for Wednesday, briefings are expected from UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg and UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Ramesh Rajasingham.
Although council members used to hold their monthly meetings on Yemen in closed consultations only, they have not done so since January when the US and Britain launched a bombing campaign in Houthi-controlled areas.
The United Kingdom has tabled a draft resolution to extend the sanctions committee. The UK appears to have opted for a direct renewal of the Yemen sanctions regime under Resolution 2140 due to the complex dynamics the council faced on this file last year as the Houthis attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea, claiming to support Palestinians in Gaza.
While members remain united in their support for UN mediation efforts to reach a sustainable solution to the Yemen conflict, issues such as the crisis in the Red Sea have produced notable divisions.
A diplomat briefed on the session said that although some members seemed to want to see stronger language in the draft resolution extending the sanctions committee, including in light of developments such as continued Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, there was general agreement that the current climate in the council was not conducive to new additions.
While some members, including the UK and US, have criticized the Houthis’ destabilizing actions and called for stronger measures to impose an arms embargo on the group, other council members – such as Algeria (representing the Arab group), China, and Russia – have asserted that ending the conflict in Gaza is essential to resolving the crisis in the Red Sea.
Some permanent members of the council have exchanged accusations during meetings on Yemen. The US has alleged that Russia is considering transferring weapons to the Houthis, while Russia has accused the UK and US of destabilizing the situation in the country through their retaliatory strikes against the Houthis.
According to the diplomat, these considerations have led most council members to support a straightforward renewal of the sanctions regime without amending the text. However, the US has put forward several proposals aimed at strengthening the text, which have been unpalatable to some other members. These proposals included a provision imposing asset freezes on the Houthis as an entity, rather than on an individual basis as is currently the case under the existing resolution. While the Houthis as an entity are only subject to an arms embargo.
Switzerland has also proposed some text on due process in listing and delisting procedures.
The Houthis have targeted nearly 200 commercial ships with missiles and drones since the start of Gaza war in October 2023. They have captured one ship and sunk two others in the campaign, which has also resulted in the deaths of four sailors. A US-led coalition has also intercepted other missiles and drones in the Red Sea or prevented them from reaching their targets, which have also included Western military vessels.
In response, the US and UK have been conducting airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi militants since January 11th. As a result, the Houthis have announced an expansion of their operations to include US and UK vessels.
