Yemen warned on Thursday evening of the dangers of the Houthi militia continuing to acquire advanced military weapons, technologies, dual-use components, and military expertise through smuggling networks and Iranian support, emphasizing that this undermines the international sanctions regime and threatens maritime navigation security, peace, and stability in the region.
Escalating Threat to Maritime Security
The Yemeni News Agency (Saba) quoted Yemen’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abdullah Ali Al-Saadi, in a statement before the Security Council during a high-level discussion session on "Emerging Technologies and Maritime Security: Implications for International Peace and Security," saying: "Maritime threats do not stem from technological development per se, but from the misuse of advanced technologies and their reach to armed groups using them to carry out cross-border attacks."
Al-Saadi called for the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolutions 2140 and 2216, and strengthening measures to prevent the smuggling of weapons, missiles, drones, their components, and dual-use technologies to the Houthi militia, holding accountable those involved in violating the arms embargo.
Attacks Threatening Navigation and International Trade
Al-Saadi pointed out that continued Iranian support for the militia, including weapons, technologies, and military expertise, has contributed to developing its offensive capabilities and expanding the scope of its attacks using ballistic missiles, drones, and explosive-laden boats, targeting commercial ships and threatening navigation in the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden.
He noted that the repercussions of these attacks have gone beyond endangering the lives of sailors and ship crews, extending to disrupting international trade, threatening supply chains, energy and food security, and harming the marine environment, noting that the sinking of the ships "Rubymar," "Magic Sea," and "Eternity Sea" exemplifies the danger of using advanced military capabilities to target international navigation.
Enhancing Cooperation and Building Maritime Capabilities
Al-Saadi emphasized the importance of enhancing international cooperation and information exchange to combat the smuggling of weapons and military technology, supporting the Yemeni government in developing the capabilities of coast guards and relevant institutions, updating monitoring and early warning systems, and strengthening coordination to protect Yemen's territorial waters and the security of the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab, while respecting Yemen's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
He also called for activating existing regional and international frameworks and mechanisms, including the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment, the Regional Maritime Information Sharing Centre, and the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), to enhance collective responses to maritime threats and curb the flow of weapons and advanced technologies to armed groups.
Al-Saadi stressed in the conclusion of his statement that the proliferation of advanced military technologies among non-state armed groups has become a direct threat to international maritime security, freedom of navigation, and global trade, emphasizing that confronting it requires effective implementation of Security Council resolutions, strengthening international controls, and providing support to affected coastal states, foremost among them Yemen, to develop their national capabilities in maritime security.
Al-Saadi had previously called on the UN Security Council last Wednesday to condemn the Houthi militia's recent missile attacks on Aden, hold them accountable, and take practical and tangible measures to counter their continuous military escalation and prevent the recurrence of such attacks.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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