As of August 2026, what are the main reasons the UN special envoy for Yemen warned the Security Council that the country could return to full-scale war within weeks, including the triggers and events since early July 2026, the specific Houthi attacks on government forces in Marib

Specific Houthi attacks on government forces

• Marib: Houthi forces launched repeated strikes on government positions in and around Marib, causing military and civilian casualties . Fighting flared across previously frozen front lines.
• Hadramawt: Attacks in Hadramawt governorate were cited by Grundberg as part of the intensifying military activity .
• Al-Makha (Mocha): Houthi forces attacked the government-held port city of al-Makha, with a sunken vessel visible in the port on 10 August after an attack . Fighting also spread to Taiz, where government forces reported repelling a Houthi assault .

Resumption of cross-border strikes on Saudi Arabia and maritime attacks

• Cross-border on Saudi Arabia: The Houthis have launched repeated drone and missile strikes on Saudi territory since 13 July, including on Abha airport, oil facilities, and a drone attack on a Jazan refinery on 13 August . The Houthis described these as retaliation for alleged Saudi violations of Yemeni airspace .
• Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab: The Houthis resumed attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, declared a blockade on Saudi-linked vessels on 20 July, and on 11 August struck a ship in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, killing six . Grundberg warned this risks "deepening Yemen's entanglement with the wider regional confrontation" amid the ongoing US-Iran war .

UN humanitarian chief's food insecurity warning

Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, briefed the Security Council that:

• More than half of Yemen's population — over 18 million people — is experiencing acute hunger, with the share unable to meet basic food needs jumping sharply in just one month .
• 6 million people face "emergency" levels of deprivation that border on famine .
• Funding shortages have "crippled" humanitarian operations, with the response plan severely underfunded due to donor uncertainty . Fletcher called the crisis "unacceptable" and said it "cannot become the new norm" .

Security Council response

• 7 August statement: The Security Council issued a press statement condemning Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia since 13 July and attacks on commercial vessels since 22 July, reaffirming Yemen's sovereignty and urging the Houthis to refrain from further escalation .
• 13 August open debate: The Council held an open debate and closed consultations. UK, US, and Bahrain condemned the Houthi attacks and demanded Iran cease its support for the Houthis . UK Permanent Representative Sarah MacIntosh stated that "reckless Houthi actions have triggered a serious escalation of violence in the region" .
• GCC welcomed the Council's 7 August statement, calling for a "firm" international stance .

Grundberg urged all parties to de-escalate immediately, work toward a robust ceasefire, and pursue economic de-escalation — including resuming oil exports and commercial flights to Sana'a airport — warning that "the parties have more to gain from cooperation than confrontation" .