One year after adopting a text demanding that the Houthis immediately cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the Security Council today reiterated that demand in a new resolution and called for ongoing monitoring of the situation as these attacks continue with increasing sophistication.
Adopting resolution 2768 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2768(2025) ) by a vote of 12 in favour to none against - with 3 abstentions (Algeria, China, Russian Federation) - the Council extended, until 15 July 2025, its request that the Secretary-General provide it with written monthly reports on Houthi attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. It also reiterated its demand that the Houthis immediately cease such attacks and release the Galaxy Leader and its crew.
Further, the 15-nation organ took note of the use of advanced weaponry in these attacks and demanded that Member States stop providing arms to the Houthis. And, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of these attacks - including the conflicts contributing to regional tensions and the disruption of maritime security - the Council urged caution and restraint to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea and the broader region.
Speaking after the vote, the representative of the United States stressed that, while the Houthis "have not heeded" the Council's previous resolution on this matter, extending the reporting requirement - including "information on the weapons we all know Iran is supplying the Houthis" - will give the Council accurate, timely insights to guide its deliberations. She added: "Attacks on any vessels in the Red Sea, regardless of origin or ownership, are entirely unacceptable; arguing otherwise risks legitimizing clear violations of international law."
"Maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is under extreme pressure," observed Greece's representative, who added that "these attacks have a direct impact on us all". Maritime security is expected to further deteriorate, while the re-routing of shipping continues to favour safer but costlier alternative routes. He therefore underlined the need to end the Houthis' attacks "by looking into the origins of the use of advanced weapons and by preserving the applicability of the arms embargo".
However, the representative of the Russian Federation, whose delegation abstained, pointed to the "one-sided picture" painted by the text's main authors - Greece and the United States. "If you were to judge the situation only using the text of this resolution, you would be led to believe that the only destabilizing factor in the region is what is being done by Ansar Allah," he said. The text leaves out the most important aspect of the situation on the ground, namely the aggressive military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom against a sovereign country. While not justifying the Houthis' actions, he said that his delegation does not understand the United States' logic of urging the Council to work together while continuing to "plunge [Yemen] into chaos".
Similarly, the representative of China - spotlighting the year-long military operations of the United States and the United Kingdom against Yemen, as well as the recent escalation between the Houthis and Israel - said that focusing only on vessel attacks is not sufficient to resolve the "dilemma" facing Yemen in the Red Sea. "The tensions in the Red Sea are a significant manifestation of the Gaza conflict," he observed, expressing regret that today's resolution fails to clearly indicate this correlation.
The representative of Algeria, Council President for January, spoke in his national capacity to state that his delegation's abstention should neither be interpreted as a reservation regarding the Secretary-General's monthly report on the situation in the Red Sea, nor as consent for the Houthis' attacks. Rather, it reflects concerns over the implementation of the resolution 2722 (2024) and what Algeria believes is a "misuse and misinterpretation of the right to defend" by conducting attacks on the territory of sovereign countries, he said.
"As is often the case in this chamber, today's adoption is a product of compromise for everyone," said the representative of Denmark. While her delegation would have preferred stronger language on how the Houthis' attacks threaten the provision of humanitarian aid and the maritime environment, she said that today's resolution nevertheless sends a strong signal demanding that Member States stop arming the Houthis. Further, she underlined the need to uphold the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most-critical waterways: "Neither State nor non-State actors can be allowed to take that freedom away."
Guyana's representative, too, noted that her delegation would have welcomed the inclusion of language referring to Red Sea attacks' impact on the environment and the provision of humanitarian aid to people in Yemen. "These elements were supported by many delegations, and it is regrettable that they were not taken into account," she said. Nevertheless, today's resolution allows for the continuing flow of critical information on the ongoing security situation in the Red Sea. "Establishing the facts on the ground is important for accountability, whether that accountability comes now or in the future," she said.
The representative of Panama, for his part, highlighted his country's maritime nature while rejecting "the way in which these attacks have compromised the free transit of vessels". This has a direct impact on global supply chains, and he urged all parties to uphold the right to navigation as a "fundamental principle of international law". Underscoring that systematic, continuous attacks on commercial vessels cannot be justified, he concluded: "These attacks must immediately cease."
Meanwhile, the representative of the Republic of Korea welcomed the resolution's emphasis on implementing the relevant arms embargo, as well as its concern regarding the Houthis' use of advanced weaponry. He also pointed out that such use is "increasingly linked to regional instability", urging the Council to ensure full implementation of its relevant resolutions.
"The Security Council should pronounce itself in a unified voice to protect maritime security in the Red Sea," stressed Sierra Leone's representative, while also underscoring the need to address the root causes of the Houthi attacks. On this, he welcomed the recent announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza. Joining others in noting the "positive news coming from the region" and welcoming the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, Slovenia's representative noted that this is the first step for peace in the region.
"The security of the Red Sea is fundamentally linked to the stability of coastal States and the broader peace process in the region," said Somalia's representative. "As a nation that has experienced the devastating impact of maritime insecurity, we recognize that lasting solutions must address the root causes of these conflicts," he added. He emphasized that his country, for its part, is "ready to work to ensure that the Red Sea remains what it has been for millennia - not just a vital maritime corridor, but a bridge of peace and prosperity connecting nations and people".
