A Houthi-run court in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on Saturday sentenced 18 Yemeni aid workers employed by United Nations humanitarian agencies to death, accusing them of spying for Israel, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The ruling said the “convicts” will be executed by firing squad in a public place in Sanaa. Two others, including a woman, were handed 10-year prison terms on the same charges.
In a statement broadcast on Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, the court accused the aid workers of providing Israel, the United States, Britain, and Saudi Arabia with information on Houthi leaders’ locations, movements, and military secrets, including missile launch sites and storage facilities.
The court claimed they recruited citizens, installed surveillance cameras, and received payments that led to attacks on military, security, and civilian sites, causing dozens of deaths and extensive damage.
The Houthis have previously detained UN employees and humanitarian workers, accusing them of espionage and collaboration with Israel - allegations that remain unproven. The group has repeatedly claimed to have captured “Israeli spy networks” in Yemen, though no independent evidence has ever corroborated those claims.
The sentencing follows Israeli airstrikes in August on Sanaa, carried out in response to Houthi missile and drone attacks toward Israel. The strikes killed dozens of Houthi officials, including 12 “ministers” and the group’s Military Chief of Staff, Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari, who was wounded and eventually succumbed to his wounds.
Last week, al-Masirah TV aired footage showing the detainees delivering what the Houthis claimed were “confessions.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the Houthis, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all UN aid workers. He warned that obstructing humanitarian relief in Yemen puts millions at risk of famine.