May 14, 2025
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher, and Ms. Dina El Mamoun for your briefings. And I also welcome the representative of Yemen.
Colleagues, on May 6, President Trump announced that the United States had stopped military strikes against the Houthis. Contrary to the characterizations and disinformation of some, the United States had been conducting precision strike operations against Houthi assets, such as terrorist compounds. And our objective has been to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways after years of Houthi terrorist attacks. And it is on that topic that I will focus my remarks today.
The Houthis’ capitulation marks a success for the U.S. approach. Whether strikes continue is up to the Houthis. As President Trump said, the Houthis don’t want to fight anymore. They are exhausted. The strikes killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders.
U.S. military operations disabled infrastructure that facilitated fuel imports – fuel that supported the terrorist objectives of the Houthis.
Mr. President, the United States will not accept illicit smuggling of fuel and war materiel to a terrorist organization.
We remain committed to disrupting the Houthis’ illicit revenue generation, financial facilitators, and suppliers.
We remind Member States that providing material support or resources to a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization is a potential violation of U.S. law.
The United States will pursue all possible sanctions against relevant individuals and entities.
Colleagues, all Member States have an obligation to enforce UN Security Council Resolution 2216.
Iran has enabled Houthi attacks with military, logistical, and intelligence support. This Council must not tolerate Iranian defiance of its resolutions and should impose consequences on sanctions violators using the tools at its disposal.
The most recent Houthi attacks against Israel serve as a stark reminder of the threat that they pose to regional stability.
We recognize Israel’s legitimate security concerns and support its right to self-defense against Iranian-backed terrorist groups like the Houthis.
The United States condemns all attacks by the Houthis, especially on civilians.
The UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) has the potential to be a critical tool in preventing arms from reaching the Houthis. UNVIM operations and enforcement must be improved.
We urge that Member States provide financial support for this mechanism to increase its effectiveness by donating directly to UNVIM operations, which need only $11 million per year.
Member States must also provide the naval assets necessary to ensure interdiction of ships not verified by UNVIM.
A fully operational UNVIM can allow a focus of limited collective resources also on other means of smuggling, such as dhows and overland routes.
Mr. President, I thank you.