Sana’a: Yemen’s Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned a statement by the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, labeling it as ‘biased’ for allegedly ignoring the underlying causes of the escalation in the Red Sea.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the ministry criticized the envoy’s remarks for lacking neutrality and failing to acknowledge what it described as ‘genocidal crimes committed by the Zionist entity in Gaza.’ The ministry argued these actions were the true cause of the Red Sea tensions. It further criticized the U.N. and the international community for their perceived inaction in addressing these issues.

The ministry expressed that the U.N. envoy should have voiced concern over what it termed as Israeli ‘aggression against Yemen,’ which it claimed targets vital civilian infrastructure. The ministry viewed the envoy’s silence on these issues during his recent briefing to the U.N. Security Council as a sign of imbalance.

This perceived bias, the ministry warned, could further strain Yemen’s engagement with the envoy, whose role it stated must remain impartial. The ministry cautioned that continued negative positions might compel the Yemeni government to take additional measures beyond suspending contact with his office.

Reaffirming its commitment to freedom of navigation, the ministry explained that the maritime ban in the Red Sea targets only the occupying entity, aiming to pressure it into halting its assault on Gaza. It noted that while Sana’a paused attacks after a ceasefire, they resumed when the Israeli regime violated the agreement.

The ministry stated that Yemen’s stance is based on religious, humanitarian, and moral obligations, aligning with international law, including the Genocide Convention. It called upon the U.N. envoy to focus on his mandate to promote peace and alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, now in their tenth year of conflict.

Grundberg had warned against Yemen being drawn deeper into regional crises involving Israel, stating, ‘The stakes for Yemen are simply too high. Yemen’s future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve.’

The Yemeni armed forces have been conducting military operations against Israel’s interests in the Red Sea since late 2023, with the declared aim of ending what they refer to as the Tel Aviv regime’s genocide in Gaza.