The United Nations expressed deep concern on Tuesday over reports of Houthi attacks against targets in Saudi Arabia, warning that such strikes risk further entangling Yemen in the wider regional conflicts.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman of the United Nations secretary-general, made the statement in a media briefing, calling all parties concerned to respect their own obligations and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
"Such attacks risk further entangling Yemen in the wider regional confrontation, at a time when, as we all know, the region is already facing intense pressure and regional trade and energy flows are already under severe strain. Attacks and threats against shipping must also stop and freedom of navigation in both the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden must be upheld. We again call on parties to respect their obligations to protect civilians, to protect civilian infrastructure," said Dujarric.
Yemen has been mired in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene the following year in support of the internationally recognized Yemeni government.
A UN-brokered truce that took effect in April 2022 expired six months later without a formal extension, but a fragile de facto ceasefire has largely held until the recent escalation.
The Houthi group announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping last month and has since claimed attacks on Saudi tankers.
UN warns Houthi attacks risk widening regional conflict
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said early Wednesday that it has suspended all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran following the detection of two ballistic missiles launched from Iran, while Tehran rejected such claims.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Afra Al Hameli, director of the UAE foreign ministry's strategic communications department, said the decision came in light of regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security.
The statement reiterated the UAE's commitment to dialogue, cooperation and regional integration as essential means of advancing peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
Earlier in the day, the UAE's Ministry of Defense said its air defense systems detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, adding that the missiles were targeting maritime traffic.
The ministry said that the first missile fell outside the UAE's territorial waters, while the second fell within the country's territorial waters.
So far, no casualties or damage have been reported in connection with the missiles.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on early Wednesday rejected such claims.
Baghaei made the denial in a statement, saying the UAE's behavior was in contradiction with the principle of good neighborliness and disrupted ongoing efforts to promote trust among regional countries and prevent the intensification of insecurity.
He called on regional countries to refrain from making "baseless" accusations "given the existing complications owing to the continued malicious acts by the United States and Israel against peace and security in the region."
UAE halts trade with Iran after detecting 2 ballistic missiles, Tehran denies claims
