The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and other United Nations personnel were present at Yemen’s international airport in Sanaa on Thursday when Israeli air strikes occurred, resulting in at least six fatalities.
Dr Tedros recounted that they were preparing to board a flight when the attacks commenced. According to the Houthi-operated Saba news agency, the strikes claimed the lives of three individuals at the airport and injured 30 others. Additionally, another three people were reported dead and 10 wounded in the western Hodeidah province.
The Iran-supported Houthi rebels denounced the attacks, which also targeted power stations and ports, as “barbaric.” The Israeli military described the assaults as “intelligence-based strikes on military targets.” It remains uncertain whether the deceased were civilians or Houthi fighters.
In a statement on X, Dr Tedros stated his mission in Yemen was to negotiate the release of detained UN staff and to evaluate the health and humanitarian conditions in the country. He did not disclose further information about the detainees.
Commenting on the strikes at Sanaa’s airport, Dr Tedros noted that the air traffic control tower, the departure lounge, and the runway, all situated mere meters from their location, sustained damage.
“We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he added.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the air strikes, calling them “especially alarming.” He conveyed his distress over the escalating conflict between Yemen and Israel and warned of the potential for further regional destabilisation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement indicating that their fighter jets conducted intelligence-driven strikes on military targets associated with the Houthi regime along Yemen’s western coast and inland areas. The IDF said it targeted military infrastructure at Sanaa’s airport, the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations, and locations at the Al-Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports.
Following the air strikes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue disrupting the operations of what he termed the “Iranian axis of evil,” stating that Israel is just beginning its efforts against the Houthis.
In the early hours of Friday, the IDF reported intercepting a missile launched from Yemen before it reached Israeli territory.
Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthis’ supreme revolutionary committee, condemned the air strikes as “barbaric” and “aggressive.” He declared that confrontations with “American and Israeli arrogance” would persist until the conflict in Gaza is resolved.
Earlier this week, Israel’s defence minister announced preparations for a significant offensive against the Houthis, threatening to “decapitate” the group’s leadership. The Houthis, an armed political and religious faction backed by Iran, have controlled large portions of western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since ousting the internationally recognized government in 2015.
Frances Ibiefo
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