SANAA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg on Thursday expressed alarm over renewed Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, warning that the escalation could undermine peace efforts and push Yemen back toward broader conflict.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Grundberg said he was "alarmed" by the resumption of attacks and disruption of maritime navigation in the Red Sea.
He stressed that his priority remains preserving the gains achieved under the 2022 UN-brokered truce and creating conditions for an inclusive political process, warning that continued violence could draw Yemen deeper into regional turmoil.
It is "still possible to change course," Grundberg said, urging negotiations to address Yemen's political, economic and security challenges.
On Monday, the Houthi group announced a maritime ban on Saudi-linked shipping, citing what it called Riyadh's prolonged blockade of areas under Houthi control.
Earlier on Thursday, the group said it carried out a military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, claiming the vessels had violated the maritime ban.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government.
A UN-mediated truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis took effect in April 2022 and expired after six months, although a de facto ceasefire has largely held despite sporadic clashes.
The latest development has fueled concerns that the fragile de-escalation since the truce could unravel. ■
