New York — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that the operating environment in areas under the control of Yemen’s Houthi movement has become “untenable”, underscoring the growing challenges facing humanitarian and diplomatic missions in the country.

Speaking during a briefing on Yemen, Guterres highlighted the deteriorating conditions in Sana’a and the heavily populated northwest, where the Houthis maintain authority. He stressed that the situation has reached a point where the UN and its partners cannot sustain effective operations, citing restrictions, insecurity, and mounting risks to personnel.

The Secretary-General also urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint amid escalating tensions, particularly following advances by the Southern Transitional Council in eastern governorates. He warned that unilateral actions and deepening divisions threaten to reignite Yemen’s decade-long civil war, which has already devastated millions of lives.

Guterres reiterated calls for the release of detained UN staff and emphasized that humanitarian access must be safeguarded. “The people of Yemen cannot afford further disruption,” he said, noting that millions remain dependent on aid for survival.

The UN chief’s remarks reflect mounting international concern over Yemen’s fragile situation, where conflict, displacement, and economic collapse continue to fuel one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.