Yemen’s Houthi rebels have announced the arrest of an alleged “American-Israeli spy network” just days after detaining at least 11 United Nations staff members and others from aid organizations. Maj. Gen. Abdulhakim al-Khayewani, head of the Houthis’ intelligence agency, claimed that the spy network initially operated out of the US Embassy in Sanaa before continuing its activities under the guise of international and UN organizations following the embassy’s closure in 2015.
“The American-Israeli spy cell carried out espionage and sabotage activities in official and unofficial institutions for decades in favor of the enemy,” Al-Khayewani stated. The Iran-aligned Houthis released videos of what they claimed were confessions from 10 Yemenis allegedly recruited by the US Embassy, although these videos did not include any of the detained UN employees. The UN and other international organizations have not confirmed the Houthis' allegations.
Aid groups report detention of employees
The United Nations reported that six of the detained staff worked for its human rights agency, while others were employed by the special envoy’s office, its development arm, UNICEF, the World Food Program, and UNESCO. Additionally, several aid groups have reported the detention of their employees, though the total number remains unclear.
These detentions come against a backdrop of increased Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, which they claim are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza war. The Houthis have also faced significant financial pressure and internal dissent, recently sentencing 44 people to death. The group has been under continuous US-led airstrikes targeting their positions for months.
In a series of raids, Houthi intelligence officers also detained three employees of the US-funded National Democratic Institute and three from a local human rights group. The Houthis' attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor have drawn retaliatory airstrikes from the US and Britain.