The United Nations has warned that the removal of critical telecommunications equipment from its facilities in Yemen poses a direct threat to its ability to deliver lifesaving programmes, as access and security constraints continue to tighten in areas controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement.
In a statement, Julien Harneis, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, said Houthi forces entered at least six unstaffed U.N. offices in the capital, Sanaa, and removed telecommunications gear and multiple vehicles, taking them to an unknown location. "This equipment is part of the minimum infrastructure needed by the United Nations to be present and to implement programmes," Harneis said.
The U.N. has repeatedly sounded the alarm on deteriorating conditions in Yemen, noting that some 21 million people require humanitarian assistance. The conflict, now in its 11th year, has left extensive displacement and acute malnutrition in its wake. According to U.N. figures, about 4.8 million people are internally displaced and nearly half a million children need treatment for severe malnutrition.
U.N. officials say the humanitarian emergency has been compounded by economic collapse, disruptions to health and education services, political uncertainty and cuts to funding. Those constraints limit the range and scope of relief operations in areas most in need.
The U.N. said the Houthis did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The movement has previously accused some U.N. agencies, including the World Food Programme, of operating political, military and intelligence agendas aimed at subjugating Yemeni populations.
Access for aid workers is increasingly restricted. Harneis noted that the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service has not been authorized to fly to Sanaa for more than a month, and flights to Marib - an area under the internationally-recognised government's control - have been barred for more than four months. U.N. officials say these flights are the only practical route for non-governmental organisation staff to enter and exit Houthi-held areas.
As a consequence, U.N. operations are largely confined to government-held territory. Harneis estimated that U.N. agencies are unable to provide assistance in Houthi-controlled areas that account for roughly 70% of humanitarian needs in the country.
Security for U.N. personnel has also deteriorated. Since 2021, 73 U.N. colleagues have been detained. In response to earlier detentions of U.N. staff in Sanaa - at least 18 personnel were detained in one episode - the U.N. relocated the base of its resident coordinator for Yemen to Aden in September.
Houthi officials have on previous occasions accused U.N. staff of espionage. The combined effect of equipment seizures, flight restrictions, personnel detentions and broader operational constraints has intensified concern within the U.N. system that aid delivery will face greater disruption at a time when humanitarian needs remain exceptionally high.