The UN envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said he was encouraged by the "intensification of talks" aimed at reaching a new truce between the parties to the conflict, expressing

concern at the same time about the risk of an outbreak of conflict.

Grundberg told a security council meeting that despite the end of the truce on October 2 between the government and the Houthis, which came into force on April 2, "the military situation in Yemen has generally remained stable without significant escalation". However, the UN official noted that "limited military activities on the front lines" continue, resulting in civilian casualties.

As the same spokesman said: "military activity, combined with negative rhetoric and worsening political and economic measures, creates a situation in which the slightest miscalculation may cause the re-launch of a spiral of violence that will be difficult to reverse". He called for"working to extend the period of relative calm, which is the longest in eight years".

In this context, the UN envoy expressed his feeling "encouraged by the intensification of talks," praising the diplomatic activity on the regional and international arenas, especially the efforts of Saudi Arabia and Oman. "We see the possibility of a radical change in the course of this eight-year-old conflict, "he said, a prospect that"should not be wasted and requires responsible actions".

According to Hans Grundberg, the dialogue in recent months has allowed "clarifying the positions of the parties and considering options acceptable to the parties on unresolved problems", but the various elements on the table "cannot be taken in isolation".

"It is important that discussions on how to move forward in the short term take place within the framework of a more comprehensive approach to identify a clear path towards a lasting political settlement," he said, calling on the parties to "take advantage of the space for dialogue allowed by the absence of large-scale fighting".

Yemen has been mired in armed conflict since 2014 between the Iran-backed Houthis and government forces backed by a military coalition led by Riyadh. The war led to the death of hundreds of thousands of people directly or because of its consequences, according to the UN