NEW YORK, Oct 11 – The United Nations’ special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, has warned that the country risks sliding back into full-scale war, urging renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from escalating and threatening regional security.
Grundberg issued the warning as fighting between Huthi rebels and Yemen’s internationally recognised government continues, raising concerns about civilian safety and the wider regional consequences of the conflict.
Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Friday, Grundberg said civilians, particularly women and children, faced growing risks from the violence.
He said tensions across the Middle East were affecting developments in Yemen, while events inside the war-torn country were also having repercussions for regional security.
“Regional security, freedom of navigation and the protection of international commerce are legitimate concerns that must be addressed,” Grundberg said, stressing that international efforts in Yemen must take account of the country’s realities and the needs of its people.
He warned that without renewed efforts to secure a political settlement, war could become a permanent feature of life in Yemen.
“Military gains ultimately cannot replace the negotiations needed to resolve the conflict,” he said, calling on Security Council members to support mediation efforts collectively.
According to UN figures cited in the briefing, at least 46 civilians have been killed and more than 130 wounded since August. Children are among those heavily affected by the continuing fighting and violence.
Yemen’s UN ambassador, Abdullah Ali Fadhel al-Saadi, said the threat posed by the Huthis was no longer confined to Yemen’s borders.
He urged the Security Council to take what he described as effective and decisive measures to curb the flow of money, weapons and technology to the rebels, who are backed by Iran.
Al-Saadi also called for stronger international cooperation with Yemen’s government and thanked Saudi Arabia for its support for the Yemeni people, state institutions and economy.
Iran’s alleged support for the Huthis remains a central point of contention between the rebels and Yemen’s internationally recognised authorities, against the backdrop of broader political and security rivalries across the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Abdulaziz al-Wasil, also called on the Security Council to address what he described as a dangerous escalation in Yemen.
He accused the Huthis of fuelling tensions and said recent developments required a clear response from the international community.
Riyadh would not allow Yemeni territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks threatening Saudi security or freedom of navigation through regional waterways, al-Wasil said.
Saudi Arabia has long supported Yemen’s internationally recognised government and intervened militarily against the Huthis after the conflict intensified.
The United Nations has repeatedly called for a political solution to Yemen’s protracted conflict, which has caused widespread displacement and humanitarian suffering. Grundberg’s latest warning underscores concerns that renewed escalation could further destabilise the country and the wider region.
