Yemen risks return to ‘full-scale conflict’, warns UN rights chief

GENEVA — The United Nations' top human rights official, Volker Turk, has expressed grave concern over the growing civilian casualties in Yemen's escalating conflict, warning that the situation could spiral back into a full-scale war. In a statement on Monday, Turk highlighted the increasing toll on civilians, urging all parties to prevent the country from descending into another devastating conflict.

Yemen, already engulfed in a civil war lasting over a decade, saw the recent surge in hostilities as the Iran-backed Houthis, backed by the Saudi-led coalition, resumed attacks on government-held territories, breaking the 2022 ceasefire. Turk emphasized the urgent need for de-escalation, stating, "I call on all parties to de-escalate tensions and spare the Yemeni people from further misery."

Since August 6, 2026, at least seven civilians have been killed and ten wounded in Houthi attacks on government-controlled areas, according to the UN rights office. On the same day, two civilians were killed in Houthi shelling on residential areas and displacement camps in Marib province, while Houthi missile and drone strikes in the same period resulted in the deaths of seven civilians and injuries to ten others.

Additionally, Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure, such as fuel storage facilities and a residential compound at the Saudi Field Hospital in Mokha, have further exacerbated the civilian suffering.

Turk stressed, "The Yemeni people have already suffered enough from the devastating legacy of years of conflict, displacement, and humanitarian crisis. I urge all parties to halt immediately any actions that risk returning Yemen to full-scale conflict." The UN rights office emphasized that these attacks must cease immediately, especially as at least 18 million Yemenis are already food insecure, highlighting the dire humanitarian consequences of the ongoing violence.