43 Detained UN Local Staff To Be Tried For Alleged Involvement In Israeli Attacks

A total of 43 local United Nations (UN) staff detained will be on trial on suspicion of involvement in Israeli airstrikes that killed Houthi's top leaders in August.

This was conveyed by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Yemeni Houthi government, Abdulwahid Abu Ras, to Reuters.

In August, Iran-backed Yemeni Prime Minister and several other ministers were killed in an Israeli attack on the capital Sanaa, in the first attack to kill senior officials.

The United Nations has repeatedly rejected accusations that the UN staff, or UN operations in Yemen were involved.

"The steps taken by the security agency are carried out under the full supervision of the judiciary. The public prosecutor's office continues to be informed step by step for every action taken," Abu Ras said in an interview with Reuters.

"Therefore, as long as the prosecutor's office is notified, it can be ascertained that this process is heading towards a settlement, leading to trial and the issuance of court decisions," he said.

Abu Ras said cells in the World Food Program were clearly involved in direct targeting the government.

There has been no immediate comment from a spokesman for the World Food Program (WFP).

At least 59 UN personnel have been detained by the Houthis, according to the United Nations, condemning what it calls arbitrary detention and calling for the immediate release of its personnel and other detainees.

The defendants are Yemeni citizens. According to Yemeni law, they can face the death penalty.