Houthi rebels have released five Yemeni United Nations staff members and allowed 15 international staffers to move freely within the UN compound in Sanaa after detaining them over the weekend, a UN spokesperson said Monday.

Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that Houthi security forces had left the compound following the raid, part of a long-standing pattern of targeting UN and other international organizations in rebel-held areas, including Sanaa, Hodeida, and northern Sadaa. The Houthis have repeatedly accused staff of espionage, allegations denied by the UN. Previous detentions have included dozens of people, and a World Food Program worker died in custody earlier this year.

Dujarric said UN Secretary-General António Guterres spoke with leaders and foreign ministers of Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia to seek leverage for staff releases.

UN urges Houthis to release detained Yemeni staff as crackdown deepens in rebel-held areas

Separately, the Houthis held a funeral in Sanaa for their military chief Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, killed in a recent Israeli airstrike along with his 13-year-old son and associates. Al-Ghamari had been sanctioned by the UN and the U.S. for directing Houthi military operations threatening Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The funeral drew over 1,000 mourners, many expressing anger at Israel.

The Houthis have intensified attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Gaza conflict. These operations have disrupted trade valued at roughly $1 trillion annually.

Source: AP