UN envoy warns of threats to return to full-fledged war in Yemen

NEW YORK, Trajectory of the development in Yemen has since the beginning of the year moved in the wrong direction, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Brundberg said on Tuesday. Delivering a briefing before a UN Security Council session on the situation in Yemen, Brundberg said this path could reach a "tipping point" if it is not addressed. "The regional dimension of the conflict in Yemen is getting more and more pronounced. Escalation in the economic sphere has been translating into public threats to return to full-fledged war," he added. Brundberg said seven months of an escalatory trajectory reached a new and dangerous level last week. He expressed his deeply concerned by the recent military activities in the region, including a drone attack on Tel Aviv by Ansar Allah on the 19th of July and the subsequent Israeli retaliatory attacks on Hudaydah port and its oil and power facilities on the 20th of July. "I remain deeply concerned about the continued targeting of international navigation in the Red Sea and its surrounding waterways. Recent developments suggest that the threat against international shipping is increasing in scope and precision," he noted. The situation along the frontlines also remains a source of concern. "Over the past months, we have witnessed an increase in military preparations and reinforcements. This month, clashes have been reported along numerous frontlines, including Al-Dhale', Al-Hudaydah, Lahj, Ma'rib, Sa'adah and Tai'z." While the levels of violence have been relatively contained compared to the period before the 2022 truce, the recent trend of escalation, accompanied by continuous threats of a full-scale return to war, demonstrates how volatile the situation is, he warned. He stressed "the challenges I have outlined today make it all the more clear that the only way to move forward in Yemen is to find mutually acceptable solutions through dialogue and negotiation". Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Assistant for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya voiced deep concerns over the recen t incidents, which raise risks of extending the regional dispute and returning to the whole conflict in Yemen. These incidents undermine humanitarian access and programs aiming to help millions of those needy in Yemen, she said. The humanitarian community is committed to providing aid in Yemen as much as it can, but amid growing hostile acts, this action has become difficult, she elaborated. Source: Kuwait News Agency