UN welcomes release of staffer detained by Houthis in Yemen

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UN welcomes release of staffer detained by Houthis in Yemen

2026-10-15 13:40 Last Updated At：15:39

The United Nations (UN) on Wednesday welcomed the release of a staff member who had been detained by the Houthi group since 2024 and called for the release of all remaining detained personnel.

"We welcome the release of Sami al-Kalabi, a staff member of the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen, who had been detained by the Houthis since 2024. He is now back home with his family," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN secretary-general, said at a press conference at UN headquarters.

Haq said this is a positive step in the right direction, and the UN hopes Al-Kalabi will be able to receive the specialized medical care he urgently requires.

"We continue to call on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all remaining detained personnel from the United Nations, international and national non-governmental organizations, civil society, and diplomatic missions. As of now, 71 UN personnel remain detained by Houthi de facto authorities," said Haq.

IRGC warns heavier costs if US resumes aggression against Iran

Iran has equipped its military with more advanced weaponry and is fully prepared to respond to any potential aggression, according to Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman Hossein Mohebbi on Wednesday.

In an interview with a Tehran-based newspaper, the spokesman said that although initiating a new war against Iran would be irrational for the United States, the possibility remains, as the Trump administration needs an achievement to show before the midterm elections.

Iran is prepared to respond to any renewed aggression with greater force than before, and the consequences of such an action for the United States would be "more painful," said the spokesman.

Ali Azmaei, chief of the IRGC Navy, on Tuesday hit back at claims by the U.S. that the Strait of Hormuz is open and under Washington's control, saying Iran exercises "smart control" over the strait and requires vessels seeking to pass through the route to obtain authorization.