NEW YORK — UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward squarely blamed the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen for not having the courage to embrace a ceasefire while welcoming the recent visit made by United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths to Sana’a for the first time in over a year. She strongly condemned the recent Houthi attacks with ballistic missiles in Yemen’s Marib killing 10 civilians and a drone attack on a Saudi school during the UN Security Council briefing on the war-hit country.The UK envoy to the UN also denounced Houthis’ continued crackdown on the rights and freedoms of Yemeni women as well as religious and ethnic minorities. Woodward said despite UN’s efforts to provide support to those who are in dire need, the world’s worst man-made humanitarian crisis continues. She calls on the parties on behalf of the UK to find a permanent solution to this issue. The Houthis must ensure that fuel imports are distributed transparently, and the Government of Yemen must ensure a reliable and sustained flow of fuel into northern Yemen. Referring to the UN Security Council meeting held recently to discuss the perilous situation of the SAFER oil tanker, Woodward warned of an impending catastrophe if corrective measures are not taken. She said the Houthis must engage substantively to avoid a potential disaster.