A Houthi-run court in Sanaa sentenced 18 Yemeni United Nations aid workers to death on espionage charges this week, marking one of the most severe crackdowns on humanitarian operations in Yemen's decade-long conflict. The defendants were accused of sharing sensitive military and political intelligence with Israel, the US, UK, and Saudi Arabia through surveillance operations and recruitment activities.
The court alleged the workers provided details about Houthi leaders' movements, missile launch sites, and storage facilities, which reportedly enabled airstrikes that killed dozens of Houthi officials in August this year. Two additional defendants received 10-year prison sentences, including one woman.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the verdicts, demanding the "immediate and unconditional release" of all detained personnel. The ruling comes amid heightened tensions following Houthi missile attacks toward Israel since October 2023, which have triggered retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas.
Al-Masirah TV broadcast confessions from the accused last week, though UN agencies have repeatedly emphasized the neutrality of their humanitarian missions. Over 20 million Yemenis currently rely on aid amid what the UN calls one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
