Yemen’s Houthi authorities have issued an ultimatum, mandating the departure of U.S. and British personnel associated with the United Nations and humanitarian organizations within 30 days. This move comes in the wake of recent military strikes led by the United States and Britain, with support from other nations, targeting Houthi military installations.
The Houthi group claims these strikes are a response to attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, which they allege are connected to Israel, expressing solidarity with Palestinians amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The recent decision by the U.S. government to reclassify the Houthis as a terrorist group has further heightened geopolitical tensions.
The Houthi foreign ministry sent a letter to the U.N.’s acting humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Peter Hawkins, stating, “The ministry… would like to stress that you must inform officials and workers with U.S. and British citizenship to prepare to leave the country within 30 days.” The letter also prohibits foreign organizations from hiring American and British citizens for operations in Yemen.
Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam confirmed the authenticity of the letter to Reuters. While the office of Peter Hawkins did not respond to requests for comments, the U.S. embassy stated that it was aware of the reports but could not speak on behalf of the U.N. or humanitarian organizations in Yemen.
The British embassy noted that its staff had not received a departure directive yet and emphasized its close contact with the U.N. on the matter. In a statement, the British mission in Yemen expressed concern, emphasizing the crucial role the U.N. plays in delivering assistance to the Yemeni people, particularly via sea routes now endangered by Houthi actions.
