Iran-backed Houthis demand US, UK aid workers leave

The Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen has demanded that US and UK citizens who work in Yemen leave the country, the group wrote in a letter to the UN.

“The letter also calls on aid agencies not to recruit any workers with dual nationalities from the UK and US in the next 30 days,” Sky News reported, while according to a report at Al-Ain news, the Houthis made it clear to aid organizations in Sanaa that US and UK personnel must leave the country.

Though the Houthis control part of Yemen, they do not control the whole country. The group has been routinely attacking commercial ships over the last two months, citing Israel’s offensive in Gaza. In response, the US and UK have launched airstrikes on the Houthis, citing an unprompted attack on global trade.

Houthis are targeting UN officials

According to Al-Ain, the Houthis have targeted a representative of UNICEF, who is British, and also a British citizen who is of Sudanese origin and works with the UN. They have also asked an American who works for the World Food Programme to leave: “The sources indicated that the Houthi group warned the UN and international organizations against bringing any employee or official holding British or American citizenship to areas under its control,” the report read.

This represents a new escalation by the Houthis. The group has become increasingly aggressive in its attacks and these demands appear to mean that it wants to increase attacks on US and UK ships and other ships.