The Office of the Spokesperson has issued a statement condemning the actions of the Houthis, who recently detained additional United Nations staff members in Yemen. The incident occurred on January 23 and is part of what is described as an ongoing campaign by the Houthis that includes detaining hundreds of UN, NGO, and diplomatic personnel. This group reportedly includes dozens of current and former Yemeni staff associated with the U.S. government.
Support has been expressed for the UN Secretary General and all efforts by the United Nations to secure the release of those detained by the Houthis. The spokesperson's statement criticized these recent actions as being in bad faith regarding the group's purported intentions to de-escalate tensions. It further suggested that these actions undermine their claims to represent Yemeni interests.
The statement also highlighted that the Houthis have not committed to halting attacks on regional states, U.S. service members, or maritime traffic in critical waterways like the Red Sea, despite existing UN Security Council resolutions. In light of these developments, there was a mention of a Presidential Executive Order designating the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), aimed at holding them accountable for their conduct.