United Nations: Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea Threaten Navigation and Environmental Security
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The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed serious concern over the dangerous escalation in the Red Sea, following a series of maritime attacks carried out by the Houthi group in recent days, targeting commercial vessels and resulting in significant human and material losses.
In a statement released by his office on Thursday evening, Grundberg affirmed that the attack which led to the sinking of the vessel "MV Mercer Street" on July 8 poses a direct threat to civilian lives, international navigation, and regional stability. The attack resulted in the death of one crew member and the disappearance of four others, while search operations are still ongoing.
The vessel "MV Mercer Street", operated by a Greek company and flying the flag of Liberia, was passing through the Red Sea when it was hit by a missile attack. The Houthi group released footage documenting the moment of its sinking, marking the second incident of its kind within one week.
Prior to this incident, the vessel "MV Saviz" sank on July 6 after a similar attack, in the first targeting of commercial vessels in over seven months.
The UN envoy emphasized that these attacks constitute a clear violation of international maritime law and Security Council Resolution 2722 (2024), calling for full respect for freedom of navigation in international waterways, while warning of the "danger of catastrophic environmental damage" resulting from targeting vessels, including potential marine pollution and far-reaching consequences on the marine environment.
Grundberg stressed the urgent need to immediately halt these attacks, urging the Houthi group to adhere to the agreement reached with the United States to de-escalate tensions in the Red Sea and work towards sustainable guarantees to protect maritime navigation and civilian safety, serving the security of Yemen, the region, and the international community as a whole.
These developments come at a time when the Red Sea is witnessing escalating tensions that threaten to ignite a broader regional crisis, prompting the United Nations to warn of the danger of continuing such assaults on international navigation security and vital marine environment.
