Houthis, supported by Iran, storm United Nations offices in Yemen, capturing at least 11 staff members.

In a series of troubling events, the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has escalated its hostile actions against the United Nations and Israel.

On Sunday, the Houthis raided offices of the United Nations' food, health, and children's agencies in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. At least 11 U.N. staff members were detained during the raid, according to officials. UNICEF's spokesperson, Ammar Ammar, confirmed that a number of their staffers were held captive. The offices of the World Health Organization and UNICEF were also targeted in the raids.

The Houthis have been engaged in conflict with Israel and have staged repeated rocket and drone attacks in solidarity with Hamas. Thursday's strike came after the Houthis attacked Israel on Aug. 21 with a ballistic missile, prompting air raid sirens across central Israel and Jerusalem, forcing millions into shelters. The missile, which the Houthis claimed was aimed at Ben Gurion Airport, reportedly killed at least five ministers, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Foreign Minister Gamal Amer, and Information Minister Hashim Sharafuldin.

In response, the U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres, condemned the detentions and the forced entry into the premises of the agencies. He called for the immediate and unconditional release of the personnel detained on Sunday as well as those detained in the past.

The Houthis have vowed to target merchant ships belonging to any company that does business with Israeli ports, regardless of nationality. This threat comes as part of a long-running Houthi crackdown against the U.N. and other international organizations working in rebel-held areas in Yemen.

The Houthi militia, based in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, is responsible for the attack on the United Nations offices on Sunday and the kidnapping of U.N. staff members. The group's secretive leader, Abdel-Karim al-Houthi, vowed in a televised speech that their military approach of targeting the Israeli enemy is continuous, steady, and escalating.

The raids and the ongoing conflict have raised concerns among U.N. officials and world leaders. U.N. envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg expressed "great concern" over Israel's recent strikes in Houthi-controlled areas following Houthi attacks against Israel. He urged for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and the protection of U.N. personnel and facilities in Yemen.

Defense Minister Mohamed Nasser al-Attefi survived the attack, but the situation in Yemen remains tense and uncertain. The Houthis are likely to escalate their attacks on Israel and ships in the Red Sea, posing a significant threat to regional stability.