Greece Condemns Houthi Escalation at UN Security Council

Greece has condemned the escalation of fighting in Yemen and Houthi attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, warning that the military escalation is pushing Yemen to the brink of a full-scale conflict.

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, September 15, to discuss the deteriorating situation around the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, as UN agencies warned of rising displacement and thousands of Yemenis seeking safety in Djibouti.

Greece’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Aglaia Balta, called for an immediate and unconditional halt to the military escalation and expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni government.

Balta placed particular emphasis on the Houthi advance along Yemen’s western coast and the capture of the port of Al Mokha and the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Athens warned that the developments “mark a dangerous turning point for the security of the Red Sea”, with consequences for international maritime security, global trade and people’s wellbeing.

Balta stressed the need to protect shipping, noting that recent attacks have also affected Greek-owned vessels. She said freedom of navigation and the right of passage must receive full respect and protection under international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

She also reaffirmed Greece’s commitment through the European Union’s Operation ASPIDES, which works to protect maritime security in the Red Sea.

“Rights of passage through international straits cannot be subject to unlawful restrictions, discriminatory measures, fees or prior authorisations,” Balta said.

Greece also expressed serious concern over the displacement of civilians and called for “safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access”.

Balta condemned the Houthi detention of 73 UN personnel and called for their “immediate and unconditional release”.

She also called for immediate de-escalation and the preservation of open communication channels, stressing that the international community “must not lose sight of the political process” and that the goal remains “a lasting and comprehensive political settlement in Yemen”.

According to the UN, continued fighting between Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, and Iran-backed Houthi militias has caused widespread displacement in Aden, Al Hudaydah, Abyan and Taiz, highlighting the expanding scale of the crisis.

Military operations around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have also increased, while the Houthis captured several islands last week.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 2,883 casualties since August 6, while figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) indicate that 93,864 people have been displaced.

Seven healthcare facilities and related infrastructure suffered damage, stopped operating or came under direct attack over a 10-day period, according to the WHO’s latest situation report.

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said the rapid escalation of fighting along Yemen’s western coast has forced thousands more people to seek safety by crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into Djibouti.

The UN has warned that continued insecurity could disrupt humanitarian and commercial maritime transport and supplies.

Nearly half of Yemen’s population of 41 million people needs humanitarian assistance, while acute food insecurity continues to worsen.

Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Abdullah Ali Fadel Al-Saadi, warned that the Houthi escalation no longer represents an internal matter but an increasing threat to regional security, freedom of navigation, energy supplies and global trade.

He said the Yemeni government was responding to the Houthi advance along the western coast and towards Bab el-Mandeb. Government forces are reorganising to regain the initiative and prevent the Houthis from using coastal areas to threaten international shipping.

Al-Saadi said continued Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and energy infrastructure form part of a broader regional threat. He also warned of links between instability around the Red Sea, terrorist organisations and trafficking networks in the Horn of Africa.

He called on the Security Council to move beyond condemnation and implement the arms embargo, dismantle weapons trafficking, financing and smuggling networks, support Yemen in restoring state authority over its territory and coastline, and respond immediately to the country’s growing humanitarian needs.

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