Aden (South24 Center)

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The United Nations on Wednesday (September 3) upped the number of its staff detained by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group to 19, from the earlier figure of 11, and demanded their immediate release.

The 19 staff comprise 18 Yemenis and one international employee, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

The organization stated these arrests by the Houthis hinder their humanitarian operations and intensify international concern regarding Houthi conduct, 

Notably, on August 31, the United Nations reported that the Houthis had detained their staff members in Sana'a and Hodeidah, alongside raiding World Food Programme facilities and confiscating UN property.

Meanwhile, in Aden, the Southern Transitional Council's (STC) Foreign Ministry expressed alarm over the “arbitrary” Houthi arrest campaigns, asserting that these actions constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law.

In its official statement, the STC emphasized its commitment to providing a secure and free environment for international organizations operating in the capital Aden, in a message clearly aimed at reassuring the international community.

In a related development, UN Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg on September 2 concluded a visit to Muscat where he met with senior Houthi negotiator Mohammed Abdul Salam, and condemned the wave of arbitrary arrests of UN staff by the Houthis and called for their immediate and unconditional release. He also reiterated that the UN’s efforts remain focused on finding a path towards peace.

For its part, the UN denied what it called the allegations regarding the misuse of its humanitarian flights in Yemen. However, Yemeni Information Minister Moammar Al-Eryani maintained that "the near-daily flights to Sana'a Airport raise legitimate questions about their purposes”, accusing the organization of permitting Houthi officials onboard and demanded an urgent investigation.

Parallel to these developments, the Houthi group announced Wednesday the execution of a “dual qualitative operation” targeting what it claimed were sensitive sites in central Israel's Yafo area using two ballistic missiles. The Israeli military confirmed intercepting one missile and activating warning sirens.

This escalation coincided with new US Treasury Department sanctions against Iran-linked entities, a move analysts view as attempting to disrupt Houthi financing through Iranian oil smuggling.

These events unfold amid growing international pressure on the group, alongside ongoing domestic military confrontations. A military source told South24 on Tuesday (September 2) that four Southern soldiers were killed on the Al-Fakher front in Al-Dhale governorate.