Yemen rebels intensify crackdown with new espionage rulings

A Houthi-run court in Yemen has sentenced 17 people to death on charges of espionage for Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia, according to an announcement made Saturday by the rebels’ official media.

The Saba news agency, controlled by the Houthis, reported that the rulings were issued by a court in Sanaa. The defendants are accused of belonging to what the rebels describe as “spy cells operating within an intelligence network serving American, Israeli and Saudi interests.”

The Houthis did not provide independent evidence supporting the allegations, and no comment has yet emerged from the governments implicated. 

Human rights groups have long expressed concern about the judicial process in Houthi-controlled areas, where trials are often held behind closed doors and due process protections are limited.

The sentences come amid heightened regional tensions, particularly in the Red Sea, where Houthi forces have escalated operations against targets linked to Israel and Western allies. 

The group, backed by Iran, claims such actions are part of its response to regional power dynamics, while critics see them as destabilizing acts that further complicate an already fragile geopolitical landscape.

International observers warn that the latest convictions could increase pressure on diplomatic efforts aimed at easing Yemen’s long-running conflict.