Sana’a: Houthi militants have detained at least 10 more employees of UN organizations since Sunday morning in the Yemeni capital Sana’a, a source close to those arrested told dpa on Monday. All those who were arrested are Yemenis who work for the World Food Organization (WFP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS).

According to Ghana News Agency, Houthi forces besieged some residential areas and raided the workers’ houses in Houthi-controlled Sana’a to carry out the arrests. In August, Houthi militants had raided UN offices and abducted several staff members. The motives behind the incident remain unclear.

The Iran-allied rebels, who have controlled Sana’a and large parts of northern Yemen for about a decade, have previously abducted UN staff and other aid workers, and some of them have been imprisoned for more than three years. The Houthis accuse some UN staff of spying for the United States.

Since the start of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have primarily targeted commercial ships in the Red Sea with alleged links to Israel, as well as Israel itself. Their stated goal is to support Palestinians in Gaza. Israel and its ally, the US, have repeatedly bombed targets in Yemen in response.