After a year of missile attacks against Israel, the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have increased their attacks in recent weeks. The multiple Houthi attacks in December included a strike that damaged an elementary school in central Israel and another that hit a residential neighborhood in Jaffa, wounding at least 16 civilians. In addition, Houthis have continued their assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
At a United Nations Security Council Meeting, U.S. Deputy Representative to the U.N. Dorothy Shea reiterated the call by the United States that the Security Council consider additional actions to respond to the growing threats from the Houthis and to hold Iran to account.
“We can all see clearly that the Houthis are fully enabled by Iran to launch long-range and deadly attacks on Israel, including civilian infrastructure, as evidenced by the Houthis’ propaganda boasting about the use of advanced hypersonic missiles. Iran’s provision of these and other lethal weapons to the Houthis violates the arms embargo imposed on the group by this Council.”
Ambassador Shea emphasized it is the responsibility of the Security Council to respond to Iran’s flagrant violations of its resolutions and arming of terrorist groups.
“Every member of this Council - and especially those with direct channels to Iran - should press Iran’s leaders to stop the Houthis from launching attacks that put civilians in harm’s way.”
Additionally, Ambassador Shea said, the Security Council should strengthen the U.N. Verification and Inspection Mechanism, or UVIM, which oversees the monitoring and inspection services of commercial and bilateral assistance cargo destined for Yemen. Crucially, the UVIM seeks to ensure that Iran and other actors do not provide weapons to the Houthis in violation of the arms embargo.
Ambassador Shea said she also supports the extension of the reporting request in U.N. Security Council Resolution 2722, which requires the Secretary General to report monthly on Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. She emphasized that the recent U.S. strikes against Houthi targets that were used in Houthi operations against U.S. Navy and commercial vessels “were consistent with international law and were in exercise of the United States’ inherent right to self-defense.”
Ambassador Shea declared, “It is past time for the Houthis to cease their reckless and destabilizing behavior, and this Council should ensure there are consequences for their actions.”
