Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Dorothy Shea warned that "The Houthis continue to threaten regional peace and stability and the well-being of the Yemeni people”.
The US diplomat said in a recent remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Yemen, "despite the fact that there have been no ceasefire violations since the United States successfully defended freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, the Houthis continue to threaten regional peace and stability and the well-being of the Yemeni people,”adding that the Houthis continued to terrorize their fellow Yemenis, impede the work of humanitarian organizations, take advantage of innocent civilians through predatory commercial and financial practices, and profiteer from petroleum imports and harass civil society members who dare speak out against them.
The Houthis continue to unjustly detain a large number of staff of the UN, non-governmental organizations, and diplomatic missions. This includes staff of the U.S. mission. “The United States calls on the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all of those detained by the Houthis,” said Ambassador Shea.
The Houthis have launched missile attacks against Israel, including Ben Gurion airport. These attacks targeting civilians are accompanied by threats to impose an air blockade and a naval blockade against Israel’s Haifa port. “The Houthis would not be able to conduct such attacks without Iran’s assistance,” stressed Ambassador Shea.
“The United States also sees evidence that the Houthis are acquiring China-origin dual use components and imagery from sources such as the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company Limited,” said Ambassador Shea.
“This company is directly financed by provincial and central authorities, derives most of its revenue from sales to the People’s Liberation Army, and has the direct backing of senior leadership of the Communist Party of China”.
A critical tool in preventing arms from reaching the Houthis is the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, or UNVIM, said Ambassador Shea, adding that “In fact, last month, UNVIM increased its screening and successfully interdicted four shipping containers of illicit materials bound for Houthi-controlled ports”.
The United States, said Ambassador Shea, “is vigorously pursuing all possible sanctions against relevant individuals and entities in order to deprive the Houthis of the resources that sustain their terrorist network.”