Yemen's Houthi authorities have ordered U.S. and British staff of the United Nations and Sanaa-based humanitarian organizations to leave the country within a month, following strikes by the United States and Britain against military targets of the Iran-aligned group. The decision comes after the U.S. government last week returned the Houthis to a list of terrorist groups as Washington tries to stem attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis have stated that their attacks are in solidarity with the Palestinians as Israel bombards Gaza.

The Houthi Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the UN's acting humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Peter Hawkins, and foreign organizations, instructing them to inform officials and workers with U.S. and British citizenships to prepare to leave the country within 30 days. The letter also ordered foreign organizations not to hire American and British citizens for Yemen's operations. Houthi top negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam confirmed the letter's authenticity to Reuters, while the U.S. and British embassies said they were aware of the reports but could not provide further comment.

The conflict in Yemen has reached a no-war, no-peace stalemate as the fighting has largely stopped, but both parties have failed to renew formally a UN-brokered ceasefire. U.S. and British forces have launched dozens of air strikes across Yemen in retaliation for Houthi attacks on commercial ships, forcing container vessels to divert from the Red Sea, the fastest freight route from Asia to Europe. The UN has expressed concern that the Houthis' actions are hindering their ability to deliver vital assistance to the Yemeni people. The British mission in Yemen stated, "Nothing should be done that hinders their ability to deliver."