“The trajectory of the development in Yemen has since the beginning of the year moved in the wrong direction and if left unaddressed could reach a tipping point,” he said.

Yemeni Government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition have been battling with Houthi rebels, also known as Ansar Allah, since 2014. The Houthis also began attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea – a crucial route for global trade - following the eruption of war in Gaza last October.

Grundberg said the regional dimension of the Yemen conflict “is getting more and more pronounced”, and the “escalatory trajectory reached a new and dangerous level last week”. 

He was briefing a day after the Council met to debate the 19 July Houthi drone attack against Tel Aviv in Israel, and the retaliatory Israeli airstrikes on Hudaydah Port in Yemen, and its oil and power facilities, on 20 July.

The envoy said he was "deeply concerned by the recent military activities in the region".  

He also voiced deep concern over the continued targeting of international shipping in and around the Red Sea, adding that recent developments suggest the threat is increasing in both scope and precision.

Commercial shipping vessels have been sunk and damaged, civilians have been killed, the crew of the Galaxy Leader – a cargo ship hijacked in November - remains arbitrarily detained, and international trade has been disrupted. 

The United States and the United Kingdom have also continued to carry out strikes on military targets in Ansar Allah-controlled territory. 

“It is alarming that there are no signs of de-escalation, let alone a solution,” said Grundberg.  “These latest developments show the real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.” 

Meanwhile, the situation along frontlines inside Yemen also remains a concern, he added. Recent months have seen an increase in military preparations and reinforcements, while clashes were reported this month along several frontlines. 

“While the levels of violence have been relatively contained compared to the period before the 2022 truce, the recent trend of escalation, accompanied by continuous threats of a full-scale return to war, demonstrates how volatile the situation is."

Although concerned about the overall trajectory in Yemen,  Grundberg said he was encouraged that the parties informed him last night that they have agreed on a path towards measures related to the banking and transport sectors.