Yemen: highly exposed to economic repercussions of the regional escalation-Briefing | United Nations

“Yemen remains highly exposed to the economic repercussions of the regional escalation, and as the global situation has made clear, it is always the poorest and most vulnerable who bear the heaviest burden,” Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen said. Briefing the Security Council, Grundberg also said, “Yemenis across the country have long contended with inadequate public services, delayed salaries, and rising prices, and they will now have to contend with import disruptions and higher fuel and food prices triggered by wider conflict in the Middle East.” Yemen continues to be affected by spillover from the regional crisis that began with US‑Israeli strikes against Iran on 28 February. The Houthis–a Yemeni rebel group holding de facto control over northern Yemen that is part of an Iran-backed coalition of armed groups known as the “axis of resistance”—had paused their attacks on Israel and on Red Sea shipping following the Gaza ceasefire agreement in October 2025. However, on 28 March, the group resumed strikes on Israel in response to the widening regional escalation, including Israeli military expansion into Lebanon and strikes targeting Hezbollah. Following the 7 April announcement of a two-week ceasefire between Iran and the US, differences emerged between the conflict parties on whether the truce framework included Lebanon, which Israel continued to bomb heavily. In a 9 April speech, Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi described the ceasefire announcement as a “great victory” for Iran, while stressing that de-escalation efforts will not be successful unless Israel ceases its attacks on Lebanon and on any member of the “axis of resistance.” He also signalled the group’s readiness to prepare for “inevitable coming rounds” of conflict.


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