The U.N. announced on Feb. 4 that humanitarian flights to Sanaa — blocked for about a month by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement — will resume this month, allowing aid agencies to move in and out. Julien Harneis, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, said the Houthis approved flights for February. The move comes as Yemen faces a worsening crisis: about 21 million people need aid, 4.8 million are internally displaced and nearly 500,000 children require treatment for severe acute malnutrition.
U.N. Announces Resumption Of Humanitarian Flights To Houthi-Controlled Sanaa — Lifesaving Aid To Reach Millions
A man walks outside the United Nations compound following reports of UN staffers being detained by the Houthis, in Sanaa, Yemen October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
GENEVA, Feb 4 (Reuters) — The United Nations said on Wednesday that vital humanitarian flights to Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, will resume this month after being blocked for about a month. The decision is expected to restore a critical lifeline for aid agencies trying to reach millions facing an acute humanitarian emergency in Yemen.
U.N. Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen, Julien Harneis, said the Houthis approved flights for February on Tuesday, permitting aid organizations and NGO personnel to enter and exit Sanaa. Harneis emphasized that these flights are the only practical route for staff to access Houthi-held areas, while most U.N. operations remain limited to government-controlled territory.
The U.N. has repeatedly warned that Yemen's humanitarian situation is deteriorating: roughly 21 million people need assistance, about 4.8 million are internally displaced and nearly 500,000 children require treatment for severe acute malnutrition. Yemen has endured 11 years of conflict since the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014, with continued fighting between the group and the internationally recognised government based in Aden.
On Friday the U.N. said the Houthis had blocked the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service from flying to Sanaa for more than a month and had prevented flights to Marib for over four months. The suspension severely limited NGOs' ability to deliver supplies, rotate staff and maintain essential operations in Houthi-controlled areas.
The Houthis have previously accused some U.N. agencies of operating as a political, military and intelligence instrument to subjugate Yemenis — allegations the United Nations rejects. The U.N. said the resumption of flights for February should help deliver lifesaving food, fuel and medical supplies, but cautioned that ongoing access constraints and the broader security environment will continue to hamper relief efforts.
(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by Ros Russell)
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