S/PV.9829 Security Council

On behalf of the members of the Security Council, I should like to pay tribute to James Earl — or Jimmy — Carter, the thirty-ninth President of the United States of America, who passed away yesterday at the age of 100. President Carter was a peacemaker, who worked tirelessly and effectively in support of conflict mediation, the furtherance of human rights and the strengthening of democracy, both while he was in office and during his many years of service thereafter. The members of the Security Council convey their deepest sympathy to President Carter’s family and to the Government and people of the United States of America. I would ask all in the Chamber now to rise and join in a minute of silence in memory of President Jimmy Carter.

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Israel to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; and Mr. Michael Knights, Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Mr. Khiari. Mr. Khiari: The Middle East is witnessing yet another dangerous escalation. The hostilities unfolding between Israel and the Houthis have taken an escalatory turn in the past few weeks. The most recent round of military escalation follows a year of increasing Houthi attacks targeting Israel, as well as vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, threatening civilians, regional stability and freedom of maritime navigation. The Houthis have claimed responsibility for at least 11 attacks targeting Israel since 13 December, using ballistic missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles. On 19 December Israel conducted air strikes that targeted energy and port infrastructure in the Houthi-controlled ports of Al-Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa, as well as Sana’a. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that they were aiming at military targets. Nine civilians were reportedly killed, and considerable damage was done to the Red Sea ports, reducing their capacity. Israel also struck two power stations in the Sanhan and Al-Wahdah districts of Sana’a, causing temporary power disruptions in Sana’a and Al-Hudaydah. While many missiles and other projectiles fired by the Houthis from Yemen have been intercepted, on 20 December a Houthi-fired missile warhead damaged an elementary school in Ramat Gan in central Israel. On 21 December another missile landed in a residential neighbourhood in Jaffa, damaging nearby homes. Sixteen civilians were reported injured in that incident, including a 3-year-old child. On 26 December, IDF air strikes targeted Sana’a International Airport and the Red Sea ports on Yemen’s western coast, in addition to power stations in Sana’a and Al-Hudaydah that the IDF said were being used for military purposes. The risks of disruption to vital humanitarian operations at a time when millions of people in Yemen are in need of life-saving assistance are of grave concern. The IDF’s 26 December strikes have reportedly resulted in at least six Yemenis killed and dozens injured. A United Nations Humanitarian Air Service crew member was also injured when the airport was hit. A high-level United Nations delegation, headed by the Director- General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was at the airport in Sana’a when it was struck. The delegation had just concluded discussions on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the release of United Nations and other personnel detained by the Houthis. The United Nations continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all United Nations and other personnel arbitrarily detained by the Houthis. I reiterate the Secretary-General’s grave concern about the intensified escalation. I also echo his calls for ensuring that international law, including humanitarian law, as applicable, is respected by all parties. We appeal to all to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Humanitarian workers must be protected at all times. We condemn the attacks claimed by the Houthis, including on the Santa Ursula in the Arabian Sea on 27 December. United States forces targeted Houthi military facilities and weapons systems in Yemen on 16 and 21 December, reportedly in response to the Houthi maritime attacks. There have also been unconfirmed reports of air strikes on 27, 28 and 29 December in various parts of Yemen. We reiterate that attacks originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen must stop. Resolution 2722 (2024) must be respected in its entirety. It demands that all attacks in the Red Sea must cease. No cause or grievance can justify their continuation. Attacks on Israel and Yemen, as well as in the Red Sea, are of grave concern. Further military escalation could jeopardize regional stability, with adverse political, security, economic and humanitarian repercussions. Millions in Yemen, Israel and throughout the region will continue to bear the brunt of escalation, with no end in sight. We must do our utmost to reverse that negative trajectory and support comprehensive efforts to end the conflicts in the Middle East. We must preserve a path towards sustainable peace and stability that benefits all the peoples of the region.

I thank Mr. Khiari for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Knights. Mr. Knights: I thank members for the opportunity to brief them today. I am Michael Knights, the Jill and Jay Bernstein Senior Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. I am a scholar of conflicts in Yemen, and I recently completed the first two books of a three-volume history of the post-2015 Yemen war. My organization, the Washington Institute, has undertaken some of the most detailed investigative work ongoing into the threat posed by the Houthi movement, also known as Ansar Allah. Working with a range of Yemeni and international co-authors, our field work and desk research have produced an interactive maritime attack tracker and four major studies on the Houthi movement, all of which can be viewed on the Washington Institute website. Today’s emergency meeting on the current future threat posed by the Houthi movement is urgently needed. With strong backing and encouragement from Iran, the Houthis have exploited the enfeeblement of the Yemeni Government since the Arab Spring of 2011, expanding through military conquests and seizing the capital, Sana’a, from the internationally recognized Government in a September 2014 military coup. Since then, they have overrun Yemen’s Red Sea ports and tried to seize the port city of Aden and the energy hub of Marib. With sustained military support from Iran, they remain positioned to lunge forward at any time to snuff out the last strongholds of the internationally recognized Government of Yemen. The Houthis are a clan-based military junta, whose leaders have modelled their movement on Lebanese Hizbullah since the 1980s. Their ideology is supremacist, in favour of their own genealogical caste over all other Yemenis, and in their motto they curse all Jewish people and openly pledge to seek the destruction of Israel and the United States. The Houthis are aggressive and expansionist, presenting a multifaceted threat that I will briefly summarize today. Far from being an isolated, localized movement, they now draw military intelligence and financial support from global partners that include Iran, Hizbullah, Iran- backed militias in Iraq, the Al-Qaida and Al-Shabaab terrorist organizations and reportedly also the Russian Federation. The first dimension of threat posed by the Houthis is manifested inside Yemen itself. The Panel of Experts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014), and other authorities and non-governmental organizations, have documented that the Houthi movement has committed gross human rights abuses against the populations under their control, indoctrinating child soldiers, unlawfully detaining and torturing opponents and diverting vital humanitarian assistance. The Houthis have kidnapped and are still detaining United Nations personnel, civil society workers, foreign seafarers and staff of diplomatic missions. Since the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, the Houthis have consistently violated the United Nations arms embargo with Iranian assistance and used drone attacks to prevent the internationally recognized Government of Yemen from exporting existing oil and gas production that would put desperately needed funds in the Government’s hands. That brings me to the second dimension of the Houthi threat — the danger that they pose to States in the Middle East and Africa. From 2015 to 2021, the Houthis fired more than 430 missiles and more than 850 drones against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Key components of those missile and drone systems were found by the Panel of Experts and by other authorities to have been sent to Yemen in violation of the United Nations arms embargo via Iranian Government smuggling networks. The Houthis continue to threaten such attacks in order to force concessions and shape the peace process to their advantage — most recently on 7 July 2024, when they publicly threatened to attack Saudi Arabia’s ports, airports and its central bank. Following Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023, the Houthis also intentionally drew Yemen into the Gaza conflict by firing some 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel. By attacking Israel, the Houthis deliberately risked bringing retaliation onto Yemen’s ports, airports and fuel-storage facilities, endangering humanitarian access to the country. The Stockholm Agreement was initially motivated by the need to protect those exact sites, and now the Houthis have squandered half a decade of diplomacy by opening a new military front against a distant enemy. The current exchange of fire between the Houthis and Israel will surely worsen in the coming weeks and months, but the Houthis can still choose to end that cycle. The final dimension of the Houthi threat — the anti-shipping campaign carried out against civilian and military vessels in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean — is a global one. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s maritime attack tracker recently tallied 106 confirmed Houthi strikes on shipping since November 2023, while the Houthi leadership boasts of even higher numbers. In the course of those unprovoked attacks, the Houthis have sunk two civilian ships; seized and held another ship — the MV Galaxy Leader and its crew; killed at least four merchant seamen; worsened food security issues in Yemen and the Red Sea; inflicted higher costs and consumer prices on the global economy; robbed Egypt of more than $7 billion of canal fees; and greatly increased the risk of an unprecedented environmental disaster in the Red Sea. The use of the Suez Canal has declined by half since the attacks began and at least 29 major global shipping companies now sail around the entire African continent, as they had been forced to before the Suez Canal opened in 1869. Ships and persons from 85 countries have been affected to date, including all the permanent members of the Security Council and four other current Council members — Japan, Malta, South Korea and Switzerland. In other words, the Houthis have made unprovoked attacks for more than a year against most of the countries on the globe. As the Houthis can deter the return of shipping by attacking just a handful of vessels each month, they may view attacks on commercial vessels as an enduring lever that they can utilize at will — to champion a cause, gain favour from a great Power or extort payments and political concessions from regional Powers and shippers. The Houthis therefore resemble a knife held against one of the world’s most important trade arteries. Under those circumstances, it is easy to foresee further grave future implications for global commerce if the Houthis fail to fundamentally and permanently alter their aggressive and reckless behaviour and are left in control of the Red Sea coastline, drawing upon the support of Iran and other military suppliers. I therefore urge the Security Council and its members to fully enforce all previous United Nations resolutions on the Houthi movement and also to do the following. The Security Council should restate the demand in resolution 2722 (2024) that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks on shipping, in addition to demanding that all Houthi attacks on Israel cease immediately. And it should call once again on Iran to halt its documented violations of the United Nations arms embargo. Importantly, the Council should also condemn all Houthi threats of force against the internationally recognized Government of Yemen and against States in the region, as those military threats distort the United Nations-backed road map for peace in Yemen, tilting it in the Houthis’ favour and making it less equitable and ultimately less sustainable. Expecting the Houthis to respect the Security Council is pointless unless there are teeth to back up those words. To remove the means by which the Houthis undertake their attacks, the Council and its members should strengthen the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen, which is meant to enforce the arms embargo and prepare United Nations sanctions on those shippers and flag States that violate resolutions of the Council by bypassing United Nations inspections or failing to allow inspections at sea when presented with the evidence of arms smuggling using their flagged vessels. The United Nations should call on all Member States to support the efforts of the internationally recognized Government of Yemen to interdict arms smuggled via Yemen’s land border with Oman and via Government-held ports in Yemen. Finally, the Security Council and its members should put the Houthis on notice that continued unprovoked attacks on the world’s nations will progressively have severe consequences for the Houthis’ ability to control territory in Yemen. In order to convey that warning, the Council should reaffirm the legitimacy of the internationally recognized Government of Yemen, represented by the Presidential Leadership Council, and it should underline that Government’s inherent right to call for international assistance to defend itself against Houthi aggression. On behalf of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, I would like to thank the Security Council and its members for giving me the opportunity to brief them today.

I thank Mr. Knights for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United States. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari and Mr. Knights for their informative briefings. The United States condemns the Houthis’ latest attacks on Israel and supports Israel’s right to self- defence. The Houthis launched an intense wave of attacks against Israel in December, with no regard for civilian lives. One attack reportedly injured more than a dozen people on a playground in Tel Aviv. In view of the continued attacks by the Houthis, the United States reiterates its call for the Council to consider additional actions to respond to the growing threats from the Houthis and to hold Iran to account. We can all see clearly that the Houthis are fully enabled by Iran to launch long-range and deadly attacks on Israel, including civilian infrastructure, as evidenced by the Houthis’ propaganda boasting about the use of advanced hypersonic missiles. Iran’s provision of those and other lethal weapons to the Houthis violates the arms embargo imposed on the group by the Council. It is the responsibility of the Council to respond to Iran’s flagrant violations of its resolutions and arming of terrorist groups. Every member of the Council, especially those with direct channels to Iran, should press Iran’s leaders to stop the Houthis from launching attacks that put civilians in harm’s way. We reiterate our call for the Council to take steps to strengthen the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen, which is a key means for ensuring that arms and related material are not illicitly smuggled by Iran and other malign actors to the Houthis. For its part, the United States will not hesitate to protect its own personnel, regional partners and international shipping. On 16 December, United States forces conducted a precision air strike against a key command and control facility operated by Iran- backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana’a. The facility was a hub for coordinating Houthi operations, including attacks against United States Navy warships and merchant vessels in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. During an operation on 21 December, United States forces shot down multiple Houthi one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea. Those actions were consistent with international law and were an exercise of the inherent right of the United States to self-defence. They do not constitute a shift in our approach to other conflicts. It is also critical that Israeli military operations, especially in densely populated areas, be coordinated and conducted in a way that does not threaten the lives of civilians or civilian infrastructure. We are thankful that Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and his team are safe after an Israeli strike on Thursday hit part of the Sana’a airport, near where they were located. Dr. Ghebreyesus travelled to Yemen on behalf of the United Nations for work that we all believe is critical. We support the work being done in incredibly perilous circumstances by the United Nations and humanitarian partners, including WHO, which are delivering critical health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance to the people of Yemen. It is past time for the Houthis to cease their reckless and destabilizing behaviour and the Council should ensure that there are consequences for their actions. This is an especially dangerous moment in the region. It is imperative that we all work to reduce tensions. A little less than a year ago, we joined together in adopting resolution 2722 (2024), which demanded that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels. The United States looks forward to extending the resolution’s reporting request for an additional six months to ensure that the Council has accurate and timely information. We believe that the reporting should also include information about the origins of the ballistic missiles and advanced drones being used in the increasingly sophisticated attacks. We thank Japan for working with us on the resolution and will look to incoming members of the Security Council for their support as well. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

China deeply mourns the passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter. He was a driving force and decision-maker in the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China and made a great contribution over the years to bilateral relations and friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. We greatly appreciate his achievements. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing, and I also listened carefully to the briefing by the representative of civil society. The year 2024 is coming to an end. It has been one of escalating conflict, confrontation and tensions in the Middle East. Israel’s savage bombing of Gaza has not ceased for even a moment, and neither has its violent suppression of Palestinians in the West Bank. The situation in Lebanon has been turbulent and remains fragile. With the recent drastic changes in Syria, the outlook there remains unclear. And as the year draws to a close, the situation in Yemen is heating up rapidly. The Houthis have continued their frequent attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, disrupting international shipping and trade. Among other countries, the United States and Israel continue to launch air strikes on Yemen, resulting in major casualties. The Houthis and Israel have had belligerent exchanges of actions and words, further escalating tensions. It is deeply worrisome. In the face of the relentless waves of instability, mutual provocation and escalating tensions in the Middle East, the Security Council must learn from experience, strengthen its unity and cooperation, strive to seek consensus, take constructive action and find an integrated, comprehensive and effective solution to the problem of the Middle East in the new year. We call on the parties to the conflicts to refrain from escalating the situation. Ending the fighting is the top priority. The conflict in Gaza has dragged on for far too long, and an immediate and permanent ceasefire is a prerequisite for any progress. The ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel is extremely fragile, and the agreements reached must be effectively implemented. China calls on the Houthis to stop their attacks on commercial ships and their other acts of aggression, and on Israel and the other countries concerned to cease their air strikes on Yemen. We urge the countries of the Middle East to resolve their differences and tensions through dialogue and consultation and to work to achieve peaceful coexistence. Every country should respect the others’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, their legitimate right to self-defence and development and their reasonable security concerns. China supports the countries of the region in upholding a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security to jointly build a new and sustainable security architecture in the Middle East. We call on the international community to respect the choices of the people of the Middle East and support their countries in achieving strategic autonomy. The Middle East is not a battleground for major countries. Nor can it be allowed to become a victim of the geopolitical rivalries of countries outside the region. The parties concerned should fully respect the historical and cultural traditions of the countries of the Middle East and support all of them, including Syria, in achieving peace, reconciliation and a development path that meets their national needs. With regard to hotspot issues in the region, we must respectfully consider the merits of each case, uphold the principles of fairness and justice and support and assist the countries of the region in finding ways to resolve tensions and conflicts, instead of picking sides or creating confrontations. We call on the international community to step up the efforts for a speedy, comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question. As the facts have repeatedly shown, the Palestinian question lies at the heart of the Middle East issue. Only when it is completely resolved will there be true peace and stability in the Middle East. The international community should reinvigorate the political prospects for a two-State solution with the utmost sense of urgency. Lastly, I would like to congratulate the United States on successfully completing its presidency of the Security Council. I also want to take this opportunity to say my farewells to Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, the elected members about to end their terms, and to welcome Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia, which will be joining the Council soon. China looks forward to working with the members of the Council in 2025 to advance multilateralism, build unity, reach consensus and enable the Council to better discharge its duties in line with the Charter of the United Nations.

I thank Assistant Secretary- General Khiari and Mr. Knights for their briefings. Slovenia condemns the latest escalation in the Middle East, injecting a new wave of fear across the region. A series of Houthi attacks that Israel responded to with a series of retaliatory strikes have resulted in civilian casualties and severe damage to civilian infrastructure. We were especially concerned about the air strikes on Red Sea ports and Sana’a airport, which pose a grave risk to humanitarian operations. The attacks demonstrate the degree of disrespect for international law and international humanitarian law in the recent conflicts in the Middle East, where no one — not even the highest representatives of the United Nations system — is safe. The rules that have been established over decades to govern order in the international community should not be dismissed with such an unbearable lightness of irresponsibility. We underline that international law, including international humanitarian law, must be respected. All attacks on civilian population centres, infrastructure and objects are prohibited. We call for respect and for the protection of humanitarian personnel. We want to make it clear that expressions of solidarity with the Palestinians in their quest for peace cannot be pursued with ballistic missiles and drones. Such actions desecrate the suffering of the Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory. Equally, Israel cannot achieve security for itself at the cost of the suffering of another nation’s civilians, many of whom are already dealing with the consequences of years of a dire humanitarian situation. A sense of security derived in that way will be fragile and short-lived. I also want to address the dynamics in the region. As the Middle East navigates through confrontations and escalations, we continue to urge for restraint in actions and words. Every single actor must play its role in that regard — both those actively involved and those supporting different players. The responsibility of the latter has significantly increased, given that the hands of the Security Council have been tied. We call for de-escalation and for contributing to ensuring stability. That cannot be done through tit-for-tat actions, which are in no one’s interests and serve no one’s security. What is in everyone’s interests is the joint pursuit of peace. In this season, marked by compassion and reflection, we once again underscore the imperative of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, as well as of reaching a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Yemen. Finally, as this seems to be the last regular meeting of the Security Council for this year, I would like to thank you, Madam President, and the United States for your able leadership during the month of December. I would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing members of the Council — Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland — for their effective and constructive cooperation in ensuring international peace and security. At the same time, we welcome the incoming members — Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia — and we look forward to working with them. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): I would like to start by thanking Assistant Secretary- General Khiari and Mr. Knights for their briefings today. The United Kingdom is deeply alarmed by the Houthis’ continued missile and unmanned aerial vehicles attacks against Israel and their ongoing targeting of international shipping in the Red Sea. We strongly condemn those reckless actions and call on the Houthis to stop immediately. There is no justification for those attacks. Houthi aggression not only risks regional escalation, but it is also making worse the already dire humanitarian and economic conditions inside Yemen. A comprehensive and inclusive political settlement remains the best route to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Yemen. We are also clear on the role of Iran in fuelling that escalation. Its long-standing financial and military support to the Houthis has enabled and exacerbated Houthi aggression. Iran bears responsibility for the actions of its proxies, and it must cease its illegal activity, which is destabilizing the region and threatening international peace and stability. The United Kingdom reiterates its support for Israel’s right to self-defence in the face of Houthi attacks. However, Israeli action must be consistent with its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians. We are concerned about Israeli strikes on Yemen’s civilian infrastructure, including the recent attack on Sana’a airport, which injured a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service crew member and endangered the Director-General of the World Health Organization and his team. Let me be clear: humanitarians must be able to carry out their important work safely and securely. Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus was in Yemen to address the ongoing unlawful detention of humanitarian, non-governmental organization and diplomatic staff by the Houthis. We are grateful to him and his team for their efforts. And we call on the Houthis to now fulfil their commitments and immediately and unconditionally release all the detainees. I reiterate the United Kingdom’s call for de-escalation and underline its commitment to ending the conflict in the region. Further bloodshed and suffering are in no one’s interests. We must break the cycle of violence and deliver long-awaited peace and security for the people of the region. In conclusion, I would like to thank you, Madam President, for your presidency of the Council this month and thank our outgoing elected colleagues from Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland for their contributions.

Before delivering my statement, I would also like to express my appreciation to the five members — Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland — for their dedicated efforts in maintaining international peace and security during their past two-year term as members of the Security Council. I also thank Assistant Secretary- General Khaled Khiari and Mr. Michael Knights for their insightful briefings and welcome the Permanent Representative of Israel to today’s discussion. While 2024 was a disheartening year, marked by heavy casualties in the Middle East, the recent developments in the region gave us a glimmer of hope that 2025 might bring change. Yet once again we find ourselves gravely concerned as we witness the potential escalation of another conflict in Yemen. It is regrettable that the Houthis continue to exploit regional uncertainty while the Middle East stands at a critical juncture. Their attacks in the Red Sea and beyond disrupt global supply chains, impede political progress and, ultimately, endanger Yemeni lives. Those Houthi attacks, including direct assaults on Israel, are particularly deplorable as they will undermine the international community’s aspirations for progress in the Middle East this year and beyond. We strongly urge the Houthis to cease those illegal and reckless attacks immediately. Israeli air strikes on Yemen’s key ports, Sana’a airport and power stations raise grave alarm about damage to essential lifelines, especially Al-Hudaydah. With 19.5 million Yemenis projected to need aid in 2025, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, ensuring the full functionality of Al-Hudaydah and other critical infrastructure is vital. Moreover, it is disturbing to learn that World Health Organization Director-General and United Nations staff were at the airport during the strikes. Israel had its own reasons for responding to the Houthi’s direct attacks. However, such actions must align with international law, including international humanitarian law, and must not hinder humanitarian assistance. If those principles are not upheld, we can imagine what the consequences will be, given what we saw in the Gaza conflict. We echo the Secretary-General’s call for all parties to respect international law, including international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Now is the time for utmost restraint, as further escalation will only deepen the crisis. The use of advanced weapon systems, such as ballistic missiles, uncrewed aerial vehicles and so- called hypersonic missiles by the Houthis, complicates the regional situation. In that context, we urge the international community to pay greater attention to the final report of the Panel of Experts on Yemen (see S/2024/731) of this year, which highlights the fact that the support provided to the Houthis in the form of weapons and related materials is unprecedented in both nature and scale. The regional situation and compliance with the targeted arms embargo under resolution 2216 (2015) are now more interconnected than ever. Compliance with that resolution is the bare minimum for achieving progress in the regional situation. Thus, we reiterate our call for all United Nations Member States, including neighbouring countries, to faithfully implement all relevant Security Council resolutions, especially the targeted arms embargo. Lastly, turning back to Yemen, as Special Envoy Hans Grundberg has stated repeatedly, peace in Yemen is still achievable. To reach that goal, it is imperative for all parties, particularly the Houthis, to strictly refrain from any provocative actions, respond positively to the efforts of the Special Envoy and other stakeholders, and engage sincerely in dialogues to advance Yemen’s political process. The international community and the Security Council must remain united in backing an inclusive, Yemeni-led political transition under United Nations auspices to that end.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing and Mr. Knights for his statement. I acknowledge the participation of the Permanent Representative of Israel in this meeting. Ecuador condemns in the strongest terms the most recent attacks perpetrated by the Houthis against Israel. That latest episode in the campaign of aggression constitutes a clear violation of international law and Security Council resolutions, including resolution 2216 (2015), which requires the Houthis to refrain from any provocation or threat to neighbouring States. The attacks come approximately one year after the escalatory actions undertaken by the Houthis in the Red Sea, which threaten the civilian population, regional stability and the freedom of maritime navigation, in clear contravention of resolutions 2722 (2024) and 2739 (2024). Those attacks have no justification, and Ecuador joins the Secretary-General in expressing our concern that such acts could further exacerbate regional escalation and generate a cycle of retaliation that would have serious humanitarian and security implications. In order to avoid a spiral of violence, Ecuador urges all parties to exercise prudence and restraint, respect international humanitarian law, refrain from attacking civilian populations, respect humanitarian personnel and protect civilian infrastructure. My delegation also shares the concern expressed by the international community about the offensive at Sana’a International Airport, due to the danger to which a high-level United Nations delegation, including the Director-General of the World Health Organization, was exposed. Ecuador insists on the importance of the effective implementation of the arms embargo in Yemen, which is being systematically violated, as documented by the Panel of Experts on Yemen established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014). The reality is that internal and external factors have undermined the optimism that previously existed about the possibility of reaching a peace agreement in Yemen, as my delegation has expressed in recent months — most recently in the briefing of 11 December, at which we reaffirmed the need for a unified Security Council voice to push for sustainable peace in Yemen and in the region (see S/PV.9806). In our final intervention in the Security Council as a member elected by the General Assembly for the 2023–2024 biennium, I would like to express Ecuador’s assurance that it has acted in strict accordance with international law and fulfilled its responsibility in accordance with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, including Article 24, which establishes that the Council acts on behalf of all Member States. I renew my thanks to all the members of the Council for their cooperation, which has been the basis of tireless collective work. I wish every success to both the remaining and incoming members of the Council. I also reiterate my delegation’s gratitude to the Security Council Affairs Division teams and interpreters. As my delegation has witnessed, particularly during the Ecuadorian presidency in December 2023, their work is key to the Council’s day-to-day functioning. I furthermore thank your delegation, Madam President, for the way in which it has led the work of the Security Council during this month. I conclude with a special acknowledgement of the dedicated and committed work of all the young diplomats who, throughout the past two years, have formed the Permanent Mission of Ecuador, thereby contributing to the noble cause of peace.

I thank Assistant Secretary- General Khiari and Mr. Knights for their informative briefings. I wish to make three points. First, Japan strongly condemns the repeated launch of missiles and drones by the Houthis against Israel. We are also deeply concerned about the damage to civilian infrastructure and about the attacks on civilians and staff of international organizations, including the most recent incident, during which a United Nations delegation headed by Mr. Tedros Ghebreyesus was affected by Israeli air strikes. Further escalation must be averted, particularly at a time when Yemen is facing a humanitarian crisis. The Houthis claim that they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. However, they must recognize that their conduct is not helping the Palestinians at all. They are only antagonizing people in the region and beyond, including Yemenis, by fuelling tensions in the already inflamed Middle East. Such opportunistic and irrational behaviour must stop immediately. The Houthis should instead engage constructively in the peace process to end the decade-long conflict and the human suffering in the country. We also urge Iran to exercise its influence over the Houthis and let them hold back. Secondly, we cannot turn a blind eye to the enormous quantity of weapons in the Houthis’ possession. In the view of the Panel of Experts on Yemen established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014), there have been arms embargo violations on an unprecedented scale concerning the provision of military materiel and technology to the rebel group. All countries — including, of course, the members of the Council — must strictly adhere to resolutions 2140 (2014) and 2216 (2015) and other relevant resolutions. Member States should carefully monitor related transactions by both State-owned and private companies. Thirdly, let me take this opportunity to condemn once again the other unlawful acts of the Houthis, including the attacks they have been carrying out against international shipping vessels for more than a year, as well as the detention of United Nations and other humanitarian and human rights personnel. The Houthis must immediately cease those reckless activities and unconditionally release all those who have been arbitrarily detained, including the crew of the MV Galaxy Leader. Since this will most likely be Japan’s final statement as a Security Council member before its current term ends tomorrow, I wish to make a few concluding comments. First of all, let me congratulate you, Madam President, and the United States team on a successful presidency this month. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to members of the Council and Member States for the valuable cooperation and support provided to us over the past two years. I also thank the Security Council Affairs Division, the Interpretation Service and other Secretariat staff members for their valuable assistance and dedication. It has been a tremendous honour for me and our team to serve on the organ with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The past two years have not been an easy period for any of us, but it was a privilege for us to work with our colleagues on the Council, day and night, to seek solutions for, or at least try to prevent the deterioration of, each situation. We will cherish many experiences acquired in the Council. Let me wrap up my statement by wishing the membership of the Security Council in 2025 all the best and by pledging that Japan will continue to contribute to international peace and security, which is the cause of the Council, in whatever capacity we may have. We look forward to working in this Chamber in the near future.

I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing and for his cooperation over the past two years. We have also taken good note of Mr. Knights’ statement. The escalation of violence we have witnessed in recent days must stop. The rate of Houthi drone and missile attacks on Israel has increased dramatically. As we heard, one destroyed a school building in Ramat Gan, while another hit a playground in a residential area of Jaffa, injuring several people. Israeli air strikes — notably on the civilian airport in Sana’a, the port and energy infrastructure in Al-Hudaydah, Salif, Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib and the oil infrastructure in Ras Isa — left several dead and wounded. A crew member of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service was among the injured. Fortunately, the World Health Organization Director-General’s delegation, which was also at the airport, managed to escape unharmed. As recalled in resolution 2730 (2024), there is an obligation under international law to protect humanitarian personnel and United Nations personnel. Not everyone has been fortunate enough to escape danger in recent weeks. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. Switzerland firmly condemns this spiral of violence. Recent statements on both sides of the Red Sea, expressing a logic of war and vengeance, are extremely worrisome. Switzerland calls on all parties to respect international law and choose to exercise restraint. A new regional escalation can and must be avoided. The international order provides us with the necessary tools to prevent a worsening of the crisis and protect the population. I would like to highlight three vitally important ones. First, Switzerland calls for the strictest respect for international law. The rules of the Charter of the United Nations provide us with a clear framework. The use of force must be strictly limited to the necessary and proportional exercise of self-defence. In armed conflict, the key principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution must guide all military actions. The civilian population and infrastructure are protected and must never be targeted. Those principles are not abstractions — they are legal obligations. In Yemen, they take on a particularly concrete and urgent meaning. The country’s economic, food and health situation is catastrophic. Port, air and energy infrastructure, already weakened by years of conflict, is essential to the survival of millions of civilians. Attacks that jeopardize that infrastructure put civilian lives in danger and further widen the humanitarian abyss. Those attacks also endanger humanitarian personnel and their vital activities. I repeat that international law requires the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel, including national and locally recruited staff, as reaffirmed by resolution 2730 (2024). We call for the immediate and unconditional release of the humanitarian and United Nations personnel still detained in Sana’a. In Israel, the civilian population must not be subjected to indiscriminate attacks, including the destruction of civilian infrastructure, such as schools. Secondly, the arms embargo established by resolution 2216 (2015) must be respected. It is an essential tool for limiting arms proliferation in an already destabilized region. Arms, whether smuggled or trafficked, are an aggravating factor in the conflict. The Council, supported by the work of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014), is responsible for ensuring the strict application of that embargo. That Committee must consider any potential violation of the embargo with due diligence and support the implementation thereof to the best of its ability. Thirdly, Switzerland calls for a return to dialogue. At this critical juncture, choosing diplomacy is crucial. Only restraint, de-escalation and a return to dialogue will guarantee peace and regional stability. Whether in the Red Sea, Yemen or the Middle East, the only viable path is that of a political solution. The cessation of attacks in Yemen, Israel and Syria and a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages are of crucial importance. In Yemen, an inclusive, Yemeni-led political solution under United Nations auspices remains the best way to put an end to the dynamic of violence that has been tearing the country apart for several years. The regional situation must not be exploited by any party for short- term political gain. The parties involved and those with influence over them must refrain from taking any rhetorical action that could exacerbate tensions. We are deeply concerned by the events of the past few days. The Council must urgently contribute to a diplomatic solution and speak with one voice in order to avoid another deadly chapter in the regional conflagration, the heavy cost of which continues to be paid by civilians. While Switzerland is stepping down as an elected member of the Council, it will continue to work to ensure respect for international law and the protection of civilians, everywhere and at all times. We will be counting on the members of the Security Council to do likewise. As this is likely to be our final meeting, I would also like to extend my warmest thanks to all colleagues and Council members, the Security Council Affairs Division and its Director and teams, the interpreters, security personnel and, of course, my fantastic team. I thank the United States delegation for its presidency during the month of December, and I wish all Council members and the Council itself a bit more peace in the coming year. May they be able to contribute to saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

I thank Mr. Khiari and Mr. Knights for their briefings. France condemns the attacks carried out by the Houthis against Israel over the past few weeks. It deplores the fact that, despite numerous warnings from the Council, the Houthis, supported by Iran, continue to carry out destabilizing actions by targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and by targeting Israeli territory with missiles and drones. In so doing, they are violating international law, including the resolutions adopted by our Council. In so doing, they are showing that they are willing to escalate, which is not in the interests of the Yemeni people or the peoples of the region. Those actions must cease immediately. France reiterates its commitment to regional stability and Israel’s security and the need to avoid any further escalation. It stresses the need to respect the principles of distinction and precaution and to protect United Nations personnel, humanitarian actors and civilians, in accordance with international humanitarian law. The Israeli strike against Sana’a airport on 26 December, injuring the co-pilot of the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, which was responsible for transporting a United Nations delegation that included the Director-General of the World Health Organization, is cause for concern. France reaffirms its support for the United Nations agencies that are deployed in crisis areas in difficult conditions. The Council must remain mobilized to put an end to the Houthis’ reckless actions, supported by Iran, in Yemen, in the Red Sea and against Israel. It must ensure strict compliance with resolutions 2722 (2024) and 2739 (2024). The MV Galaxy Leader and its crew must be released immediately. France will continue its involvement in the European Union’s Operation Aspides, in line with a strictly defensive approach aimed at de-escalation, in order to restore maritime safety and freedom of navigation. The attacks by the Houthis are a reminder of the need to enforce resolution 2216 (2015). Only a political solution will enable a complete cessation of hostilities and put an end to the suffering of the Yemeni people. France reiterates its full support for the United Nations Special Envoy with a view to resuming the peace process in Yemen. Finally, I would also like to thank Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland for their contributions to the work of the Council over the past two years.

Malta expresses its condolences on the passing of President Carter, a true peacemaker who contributed tirelessly to international peace and security and tried to make the world a better place. Malta also thanks Assistant Secretary-General Khiari and Mr. Knights for their briefings. Malta remains deeply concerned about the situation in the Middle East. The ongoing war in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis it has fomented continue to generate devastating repercussions across the region. Malta firmly believes that an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire across Gaza provides the only opportunity to avert further violence and instability in the region. At this critical juncture, it remains fundamental for all parties to act with the utmost restraint. De-escalation must remain the priority. Most importantly, we hope that they show flexibility in the ongoing negotiations for a ceasefire and that they have the political will and determination to conclude the negotiations successfully and without further delays. The threat of violence remains evident, as demonstrated by the ongoing Houthi attacks targeting Israel. They include the reported ballistic-missile attack that hit and damaged a school in central Israel and another that resulted in injuries to Israeli civilians. We condemn the strikes and call on the Houthis to immediately cease all attacks in the region. The indiscriminate shelling of civilian population centres must end. Such acts are prohibited under international law, which is binding on all actors. Furthermore, we call on the Houthis to cease their actions against merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. We also reiterate our calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all United Nations and other personnel detained by the Houthis. Those acts continue to escalate tensions and impede progress towards a political solution to the conflict in Yemen. We are equally concerned about the reports of retaliatory air strikes by Israel on Sana’a, including its airport, and on and around the ports of Al-Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa. The attacks also led to civilian casualties and caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure. It is deeply regrettable that Yemeni civilians should suffer the repercussions of such attacks, given their reliance on humanitarian aid delivered through the port of Al-Hudaydah. Malta calls on all the parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We emphasize the binding nature of all Security Council resolutions and stress that all Member States must strictly abide by them and fully comply with the relevant United Nations arms embargoes. In conclusion, we reiterate our call to all States in the region and those with influence over the parties to facilitate and encourage de-escalation towards a peaceful solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict. Restraint, de-escalation and the pursuit of diplomatic solutions to disputes remain the only way forward if we are to break the cycle of violence and secure lasting peace in the Middle East. Finally, at the end of our tenure on the Council, we would like to congratulate the United States on its successful presidency this month. I also want to thank all Council members for their cooperation over the past two years and to express our gratitude to the Secretariat, the Security Council Affairs Division and our interpreters for all their work in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Council. I would like to take this opportunity to extend our best wishes to the incoming five new members. We also thank the wider United Nations membership for entrusting us with this responsibility. We never took that trust for granted and have worked tirelessly to ensure that it is repaid in full. As we leave the Council, it can rest assured that Malta will continue to be a strong supporter of the United Nations and the multilateral system and to serve as a voice for peace and dialogue beyond our term.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council plus (A3+), namely Algeria, Mozambique, my own country, Sierra Leone, and Guyana. We thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his valuable briefing on the developing situation in the Middle East, and we take note of the contribution of Mr. Knights. At the outset, the A3+ expresses grave concern about the recent Israeli air strikes on Sana’a International Airport, which took place at a time when a high-level United Nations delegation, headed by the Director- General of the World Health Organization (WHO), was at the airport. It reportedly resulted in the deaths of two persons and injured a United Nations Humanitarian Air Service crew member. We strongly echo the Secretary- General’s demand for full respect for international law, including humanitarian law, and for all parties to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. As we approach the New Year, the escalating military confrontation between the Houthis and Israel is indicative of a general intensification of conflicts throughout the Middle East, further exacerbating the already acute humanitarian crisis across the region. The Yemeni people, who have borne the brunt of the internal conflict since its inception, will surely pay the highest price for the escalating situation. Years of violence have displaced millions, deepened poverty and led to widespread starvation. While we reaffirm our strong support for the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen and of regional actors, including Saudi Arabia and Oman, in their pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the protracted conflict in Yemen, we would like to emphasize the following key points. First, the A3+ is gravely concerned about Israel’s attacks on Yemeni civilians and civilian infrastructure, in violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Civilian targets, including airports, ports and power stations, should never be subject to military assault. The attacks have resulted in deaths and injuries to countless innocent civilians while endangering the safety of United Nations personnel. The targeting and destruction of civilian facilities that are crucial to humanitarian operations is a clear violation of international law and will only worsen the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen. We also note with grave concern the attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and civilian-populated areas, including the strikes that destroyed the school in Ramat Gan and injured civilians in Jaffa, as well those on Sana’a International Airport. Secondly, we reiterate our call for the immediate and unconditional release of all United Nations and humanitarian personnel detained by the Houthis. The efforts of the Director-General of WHO and the Special Envoy for the release of those individuals must be taken seriously by the Houthis. The risks faced by a senior United Nations staff member and his team in attempting to secure their release highlight the urgency of their situation. The Houthis’ violations of the human rights of the Yemeni people, which have now been extended to international civil servants, diplomats and humanitarian workers, must stop. We call on Council members and the international community to urge the Houthis to release all detained United Nations and humanitarian staff immediately and unconditionally. Thirdly, the A3+ is gravely concerned about the Houthis’ ongoing attacks on commercial and maritime vessels, which disrupt international trade and pose serious threats to the environment and the marine ecosystem. Drone attacks targeting three commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month highlighted the increasing risks associated with their actions. Lastly, while we note that the current conflict in Gaza has significant implications for the Yemeni people and the ongoing political process aimed at achieving sustainable political stability and regional peace, we urge all parties to utilize diplomatic avenues in their efforts to achieve lasting peace in Yemen and the region. The Yemeni population cannot afford to be dragged into a regional conflict. We remain committed to supporting all diplomatic efforts by the Special Envoy to facilitate a Yemeni-led and -owned political process under the auspices of the United Nations. The Special Envoy’s political strategy is clear. Only through a united and coordinated approach can we hope to achieve peace and security for all people in Yemen and in the region. Finally, the A3+ would like to congratulate the United States on a successful presidency of the Council this December. We also pay tribute to the outgoing elected members of the Council — Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Switzerland and A3+ member Mozambique — for their important contributions to the work of the Council. We look forward to welcoming and working together with the incoming elected members, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and A3+ member Somalia.

We are grateful to Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, for his briefing. The situation in the Middle East is deeply concerning. Regrettably, the unprecedented scale and duration of the violence have not only not stopped but have only gained momentum, with ever more countries in the region being drawn into the vicious circle. Yemen is no exception, and for the past 10 days it has been the focus of a further round of escalation. It is important to understand its root causes and to avoid one-sided interpretations of the situation, whose deterioration our Western colleagues, including today, have attributed solely to the Ansar Allah movement. However, we should not dismiss the broader context, as many hotbeds of tension today have been provoked by Israel’s actions against the Palestinians, which have led to reproach and condemnation on the streets of Arab countries. The Houthis’ launch of a rocket towards Israel on the night of 19 December certainly deserves our condemnation. As far as we know, it was intercepted by Israeli air defences before it crossed the Israeli border, but shrapnel damaged a school. Several more strikes followed, but fortunately there were no casualties. We understand how sensitive such incidents involving the launching of missiles and drones into Israeli territory are for West Jerusalem. We once again emphasize the inadmissibility of any actions that pose a threat to civilians or civilian infrastructure. We extend our sympathy to all those who were injured, including as a result of the strike on Jaffa on 21 December, and we wish them a speedy recovery. However, the reaction of the Israeli military following the incident of 19 December, with the involvement in the Red Sea of the United States Navy and subsequently the entire self-proclaimed Anglo- Saxon coalition, was clearly disproportionate and also deserves our condemnation. As a result of massive strikes on the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, as well as the ports of Al-Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa, at least nine people died, while fuel tanks, power stations and tugboats were attacked and port infrastructure incurred serious damage. We are concerned about reports in the media, including in Israel, that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) air attack on Yemeni ports was planned in advance and that by the time the Houthis launched the missile on 19 December, Israeli fighters were already in the air. Such circumstances require at the very least our careful assessment. As a result, Yemen has been subjected to a genuine air attack over the past few days. Following new strikes carried out by Israel with the support of the United States on Sana’a and Yemeni ports on the Red Sea, oil terminals, power plants and Sana’a International Airport were once again deliberately targeted on 24 December. A high-ranking delegation of the World Health Organization, led by Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, was at Sana’a International Airport at the time. It was a miracle that Mr. Ghebreyesus emerged unscathed, because according to his own testimony, objects were destroyed literally a few metres away from him. At least two people were killed as a result of the strike on the airport building and one member of the crew transporting the delegation was injured. Incidentally, the delegation was in Sana’a to take part in negotiations on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the release of detained United Nations employees. In other words, the United States and the United Kingdom, which have hypocritically called for everything to be done to release those individuals, in fact put at risk the lives of the United Nations negotiators who flew to Sana’a for that very purpose. We call on everyone here to heed the Secretary- General’s message (see SG/SM/22507) that the strikes on Sana’a and the Red Sea ports pose a serious threat to humanitarian operations, at a time when millions of people in Yemen are in need of that assistance. It is difficult to characterize the actions of Israel and the so-called Anglo-Saxon coalition as anything but a deliberate escalation that led to civilian casualties in Yemen. Regardless of whether it was retaliatory in nature, the scale of destruction is disproportionate. Incidentally, a similar logic can be seen in the context of Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, where more than 45,000 civilians have already been killed as a result of the IDF’s actions. At the same time, the Israeli military leadership has openly declared that it intends to continue its operation in Yemen with a view to paralysing the activities of the three ports I just mentioned, which remain the most important arteries for the supply of humanitarian goods to the country and in which many humanitarian workers are active. We call on all parties involved in the aggressive actions against Yemen to exercise restraint and refrain from escalatory steps. Measures must also be taken to protect ordinary Yemenis and humanitarians. January will mark one year since a group of Western countries led by the United States and the United Kingdom began illegitimate military operations against the territory of sovereign Yemen. That self- proclaimed coalition, with the cynical name Operation Prosperity Guardian, is not solving any problems but rather only making them worse, bringing more and more destruction to this Middle Eastern country, as was the case of many other countries before that one. As recently as last Friday, the United States and its satellites once again launched massive strikes on long-suffering Yemen. We call on the members of the Security Council not to be misled: those attacks have nothing to do with the exercise of the right to self- defence under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, neither can they be justified by international law or resolution 2722 (2024). The actions of the so- called coalition are a flagrant violation of Article 2 of the Charter. They are nothing more than another military aggression mounted by the collective West against a sovereign State following a long list of similar attacks. Not only does that attack do nothing to ease the tensions around Yemen, including the turmoil in the Red Sea, but it actually provokes further escalation and impedes progress towards an intra-Yemeni settlement. Yemeni problems should be resolved solely through diplomatic methods. We have been trying to convey that simple message to our colleagues in the Council for a long time, but unfortunately some of them continue to pretend that they cannot hear our calls. The situation in Yemen today is prone to escalation, which could ultimately negate all the previous hard- won gains on settlement. The key to resolving the contradictions in and around Yemen lies in stimulating a process of inter-Yemeni settlement. As a first step, we must launch as soon as possible the implementation of the road map that was almost agreed, with the participation of the United Nations and the States of the region. We are firmly convinced that progress on the political track in Yemen will lead to a reduction of, and then an end to, the military activity of Ansar Allah. In that regard, we call on Mr. Hans Grundberg, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen, to accelerate the necessary steps and finalize the relevant agreements. We see no grounds for linking the Yemeni settlement with regional processes. Neither do we see any reason why the Yemeni people should wait for universal peace to come to the greater Middle East before starting to improve the situation in their own country. There is no alternative to the inclusive nature of the political process, taking into account the legitimate interests of all leading political forces in the country and a direct dialogue involving all stakeholders, including Ansar Allah. Allow me to repeat what I said earlier: to achieve sustainable, regional solutions and avoid a recurrence of outbreaks of violence, we must not lose sight of the key factors of stabilization on a regional scale, an early cessation of hostilities in Gaza and a search for solutions for a long-term settlement in Lebanon and Syria. In general, today more than ever, there is a need for dialogue mechanisms that can help to improve relations among the countries of the region, which should not overlook the basic problem destabilizing the entire Middle East, which is related to the failure to comply with the decisions of the Security Council and the General Assembly on the creation of a Palestinian State. When that happens, many conflict situations will reach a sustainable solution, including the assurance of safe navigation in the Red Sea region, for which Russia is actively advocating. In conclusion, we would like to acknowledge the contributions to the work of the Council made by its outgoing elected members, and we wish them, as well as the incoming elected members, all the very best.

I shall now make a further statement in my capacity as the representative of the United States. I just want to reiterate what I said in my earlier remarks, as I reject the accusation of the representative of Russia. As I said previously, the United States will not hesitate to protect its personnel, regional partners and international shipping. The actions taken by the United States were consistent with international law and in exercise of our inherent right to self-defence. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the representative of Israel.

I thank Mr. Khiari and Mr. Knights for their valuable briefings. I would also like to thank the United States for its excellent presidency. Furthermore, I would like to thank the outgoing Security Council members, Mozambique, Ecuador, Japan, Malta and Switzerland, and welcome the new members, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia. Recently my phone buzzed with a notification that shocked me to the core. The school I attended as a child for eight years, a place that shaped my earliest memories in my hometown, Ramat Gan, was struck by a ballis­ tic missile launched by the Houthis. My own school, in my own hometown, its classrooms once filled with the laughter of children, will be forever changed by their ter­ ror. In another attack, a playground in Jaffa full of chil­ dren was struck, leaving a 3-year-old critically injured. Since then, the Houthi terrorists have been launching an endless bombardment of ballistic missiles at our popula­ tion centres. I would like the members of the Council to answer me honestly. What would they do if it were their child, their school, their city? Because this is not just my story, it is Israel’s story, and one that we are living every single day. We have had enough. Once again, millions of Israelis are waking up every night to the sound of sirens wailing across the country be­ cause of yet another ballistic missile launched by the Hou­ this — again and again and again. For more than a year, that Iranian-backed terrorist organization has unleashed almost 300 unprovoked missile and drone attacks target­ ing Israeli civilians and communities. That is systematic, calculated terror. We can see the distance between Yemen and Israel on this map. Israel does not even share a border with Yemen. Some 2,000 kilometres separate us — 1,500 miles. We have no dispute with them. Yet they send their missiles and their drones to murder our people. And why? Out of pure, radical jihadist hatred for Jews. That is no sur­ prise. The Houthis proudly present their banner — Coun­ cil members can look at their flags — whose slogan reads “God is the greatest, death to America, death to Israel, a curse on the Jews and victory to Islam”. Their violence is rooted in a burning hatred of Jewish life. On the Council’s watch, the Houthis have grown from a terrorist group into a terrorist army, all with the help of their Iranian paymasters. According to the experts of the United Nations itself — and the Council has seen the documents — the Houthis now possess advanced ballis­ tic missiles from Iran, including the previously unseen Hatem 2 ballistic missile. They possess new uncrewed aerial vehicles from Iran, increased technological exper­ tise, also from Iran, and extensive training, again from Iran. As a result, the number of Houthi terrorists has ex­ ploded to more than 350,000, compared to just 30,000 in 2015. The Houthis are a crucial strength, forming a web of terror that links Tehran’s proxies. Iranian support for the Houthis violates resolutions 2140 (2014) and 2722 (2024) and is an assault on every tenet of sovereignty and international law. Let us talk about money. The estimated Houthi an­ nual budget is $1.2 billion, derived from illegal activi­ ties, bribes, stolen assets and covert trade in the Gulf of Aden. Much of that funding also flows directly from Iran. However, Iran’s support is not limited to arms and finance. The Houthis received technical assistance and training from Iran. Houthi combatants are trained in Iran, where they gain expertise in producing missiles, drones and advanced weaponry. The training they re­ ceive from Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolu­ tionary Guard Corps Quds Force, increases their ability to accurately target vessels in the Red Sea. We even have the names of the key Iranian officials involved in that terror training, and I can give the Council their names. They include high-level Iranian advisers such as General Rostam Qasemi of the Quds Force, and Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al-Talibi. Both of them coordinate with the Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi. Meanwhile, the failure of the United Nations to enforce its arms embargo has directly enabled the Houthis’ reign of terror. The resilience of the mari­ time supply lines from Iran remains unchecked. We heard about the port of Al-Hudaydah. Advanced mis­ sile systems, engines, fuel and warheads are funnelled through Houthi-held Red Sea ports, yet the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism has failed in its responsibilities. We are aware of several ships that have docked at the port of Al-Hudaydah this year without any inspection, blatantly violating Secu­ rity Council resolutions. That negligence has sustained Iran’s supplies to the Houthis, fuelling their terrorism. The international community’s complacency has handed terror a free pass. We are now dangerously close to a situation in which the Houthis are completely stran­ gling the Suez Canal. That critical route of global trade, relied on by almost all nations, is directly threatened by a terrorist organization. The implications of such a sce­ nario are unthinkable. President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt revealed just days ago that Egypt’s revenue from the Canal has declined by 60 per cent, which is a loss of almost $7 billion for a nation already facing economic challenges. But it is the failure to act of the United Na­ tions that has brought us to the brink of this disaster. And it somehow gets worse — the Houthis spare no one, not even the children of Yemen. In just the first half of 2024, Yemen’s Government documented more than 3,000 cases of child recruitment into the terrorist group. The Council’s silence has emboldened them. If the Council thinks that the Houthis are only Israel’s problem, it is wrong. Security Council reports document their attacks on vessels in the Middle East — 134 attacks on merchant ships, commercial vessels and United States and United Kingdom warships between November 2023 and July 2024. Ships are constantly under attack. To cite a few examples, the MV Sea Champion was sunk in Feb­ ruary. Three crew members of the MV True Confidence were murdered in a missile attack. To this day, 25 crew members of the MV Galaxy Leader are still being held captive. United Nations experts have said that such at­ tacks using these weapons against civilian ships have not been seen since the Second World War. It is time for the world to wake up. A terror group attacking trade routes, collaborating with global terror networks and armed by Iran is not just a regional threat, it is a grim warning for the world order. They have been given a green light for terror. But let us truly address the elephant in the room — Iran. The Houthis are nothing more than Iran’s weapon in its war on peace. Iran’s fingerprints are on every missile, drone and attack. Military experts con­ firm that the Houthis could not achieve their capabili­ ties without Iran’s direct support. Their transformation into a terrorist army is Tehran’s doing. Yemen’s Chair of the Presidential Leadership Council has plead­ ed for action against Iran’s funding of the Houthis. We have come to the Council not just to address the threats posed by the Houthis, but to challenge the double standards that hang over this body. Some nations here preach the values of international law and human rights while turning a blind eye to those who violate those very principles with impunity. We have listened to the briefers. We have all heard about what this terrorist organization is doing. Will the Council condemn the Houthis today? We all heard bad things about them, but will there be a condemnation? What are we doing here today? The Sec­ retary-General calls for both sides to de-escalate as if we are moral equals, while the Security Council cannot issue a basic condemnation against a terrorist organization. Israel will not wait for the world to act. Israel will protect its citizens, no matter how far away the threat comes from. If the Council did not speak up when our schools were hit, let it not speak up when we respond. Let it not call for de-escalation when we defend ourselves. Let it not equate aggressor and victim. Let it not demand restraint from a nation protecting its children. Israel has always acted with strength and resolve to protect its peo­ ple and we will not be deterred. If 2,000 kilometres are not enough to separate our children from their terror, then that distance will not be enough to protect their ter­ ror from our strength. Our response will continue to be strong and decisive. It will send a clear message to all who dare to harm our citizens: Israel will not hesitate, and Israel will not forgive. Perhaps the Houthis have not been paying attention to what has happened to the Middle East over the past year. Well, allow me to remind them what has happened to Hamas, Hizbullah, Al-Assad and all those who have attempted to destroy us. Let this be their final warning. This is not a threat; it is a promise — they will share the same miserable fate.

There are no further names in­ scribed on the list of speakers. Before adjourning the meeting, as this was the last scheduled meeting of the Security Council for the month of December, I would like to take a moment to express the sincere appreciation of the delegation of the United States to the members of the Council, as well as to the Secretariat, for all of the support they have given us. In­ deed, as everyone here knows, it has been a busy month and one in which we rallied to reach a consensus on several important issues under our purview. We could not have done it alone or without the hard work, support and positive contributions of every delegation, as well as from the representatives of the Secretariat, includ­ ing the technical support team, the conference service officers, our interpreters — to whom we are greatly in­ debted — the translators, the verbatim reporters and the security staff. As we end our presidency, I know I speak on behalf of the Council in wishing the delegation of Algeria good luck in the month of January. And on behalf of the Coun­ cil, I would also like to express the sincere appreciation of the Council to the five outgoing members, namely Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland. I commend them all for their hard work and contributions during their terms on the Security Council. We look forward to working with the incoming elected members next year, namely, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia.