Published On 15/11/2025
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Last update: 02:59 (Mecca time)
The United Nations Security Council called on Friday for an end to cross-border and maritime attacks launched by the Yemeni Houthis, and tightened oversight of the arms embargo, which is regularly violated.
On Friday, the Security Council adopted a resolution, with a majority of 13 votes, with Russia and China abstaining from voting, renewing for a year, until next November 14, the sanctions (assets freeze and travel ban), which currently target about 10 individuals, most of them Houthi officials, in addition to the group as an entity.
The text indicates that these sanctions could now include those involved in launching “cross-border” ballistic missiles from Yemen, as well as in attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The resolution also calls on member states to “increase efforts to combat the smuggling of weapons and components by land and sea, to ensure implementation of the arms embargo” targeting the Houthis.
It also calls on the team of experts charged with monitoring the implementation of sanctions to submit recommendations by mid-April on the transfer of “dual-use components” that could be used by the Houthis, and on how to improve the exchange of information about ships that may transport weapons to Yemen.
For his part, British Deputy Ambassador James Kariuki welcomed the decision, and said that it “will support the Council’s ability to monitor and deter violations of the arms embargo.”
But several member states, including the United States and France, expressed their regret that the Council did not go further.
French Deputy Ambassador Guy Dharmadhikari said, “We regret that the approved text is not more ambitious and does not reflect the deterioration of the situation in Yemen over the past year.”
But China and Russia, which have veto power, insisted on their reservations regarding tightening sanctions.
In solidarity with the Palestinians, the Houthis intensified their attacks with missiles and marches towards Israel after it launched war on Gaza in October 2023. They also targeted ships connected to Israel off the coast of Yemen.