EU condemns Houthi escalation, urges Iran to end military support

The European Union on Monday strongly condemned the Houthis' military escalation in Yemen and attacks against Saudi Arabia, expressing solidarity with the internationally recognized government in Sanaa and Riyadh while demanding an immediate end to all hostile actions.

EU demands Iran halt support for Houthis

In a statement issued by the office of EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the bloc called on all actors, including Iran, to cease military support to the Houthis. "We call on all actors, including Iran to cease all military support to the Houthis, in violation of several United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement said. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to Yemen's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, pledging to ramp up assistance for the country's internationally recognized government.

Brussels indicated that future aid would prioritize institutional reforms alongside efforts to address the deteriorating economic, humanitarian and human rights conditions. Officials underscored that only a political settlement can resolve the conflict, reaffirming support for international mediation initiatives. "The EU reiterates that there can be no military solution to the conflict in Yemen and reaffirms its full support to the UN Special Envoy and for UN-led peace efforts in Yemen," the statement said.

Humanitarian crisis deepens

The EU cautioned that recent escalations combined with restrictions on essential goods are deepening Yemen's humanitarian crisis, with more than 22 million people now requiring assistance. Clashes between government troops and Houthi fighters intensified in July, leaving thousands dead or wounded and displacing over 250,000 civilians, UN reports indicated. The violence shattered a period of relative calm that had persisted since April 2022, exacerbating the humanitarian emergency.

Military operation aims to retake Sanaa

Yemeni government forces have sustained Operation Dawn of Yemen since Oct. 5, an offensive that Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi said seeks to reestablish state institutions and recapture the capital, Sanaa, from Houthi control. The Houthis maintain control over most northern and western provinces, including Sanaa, Saada, Amran, Dhamar and Al-Hudaydah, while government forces and allied units hold Aden along with the majority of southern and eastern provinces.

Yemen has remained mired in conflict since the Houthis captured Sanaa and surrounding provinces in September 2014. A coalition led by Saudi Arabia entered the conflict in March 2015 to bolster the internationally recognized government.