United Nations personnel arrested by Yemen’s Huthi rebels earlier this week are under suspicion of espionage on behalf of Israel and the United States, a Huthi official told AFP on Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Details of the Arrests

• Date of arrests: Sunday
• Number detained: At least 11 UN employees
• Agencies involved: Staff from the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF
• Charges: Alleged spying for “the American and Israeli aggression”

The Huthi official stated: “Those who were arrested from among the United Nations employees are accused of spying for the American and Israeli aggression. Whoever has the accusations against them confirmed will be referred to trial.”

In addition to the UN staff, dozens of other people were arrested on Saturday on suspicion of collaborating with Israel, according to a Yemeni security source.

These mass arrests followed the death of Huthi prime minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, alongside nine ministers and two cabinet officials, in an Israeli air strike last Thursday.

Casualties from Israeli Air Strike

The assassination was the highest-profile killing in a series of Israeli retaliatory strikes against the Iran-backed Huthis amid the Gaza conflict.

Background of the Conflict

• The Huthi rebels, in control of large parts of Yemen for over a decade, have been launching missiles and drones at Israel and targeting Red Sea shipping routes.
• They claim these actions are in solidarity with the Palestinians during the Gaza war.
• Israel has responded with targeted strikes, including last week’s deadly attack.

Even before Sunday’s arrests, the Huthis were already holding 23 UN personnel, some detained as early as 2021.

In June 2024, the rebels claimed they had uncovered an “American-Israeli spy network” allegedly operating under the cover of humanitarian organisations. These claims were categorically rejected by the UN, which continues to insist that its staff operate solely in support of humanitarian missions.