UN raises concern as WHO head involved in deadly Israeli strike on Yemen airport
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UN Secretary General condemns escalatory activities on both sides after WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was mere metres from the airport strike.
The UN chief has condemned the "escalation" of hostilities between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Israel, calling IDF strikes on targets including Sana'a's airport "especially alarming" after it was attacked while the World Health Organization's director-general was about to board a plane.
On Thursday, Israel targeted various sites in Yemen associated with the Iran-aligned Houthi movement, including the capital's international airport, Sana'a. Houthi media reported that at least six persons were killed, The Guardian reported.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said in a statement: “The secretary-general condemns the escalation between Yemen and Israel. Israeli airstrikes today on Sana’a International Airport, the Red Sea ports and power stations in Yemen are especially alarming …
“Today’s airstrikes follow around a year of escalatory actions by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the region that threaten civilians, regional stability and freedom of maritime navigation.”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organization's (WHO) head, stated in a social media post on Thursday that he was preparing to board a plane at the airport when it was attacked. He stated a crew member on the plane was hurt, and at least two passengers died at the airport.
“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge – just a few meters from where we were – and the runway were damaged. We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave. My UN and @WHO colleagues and I are safe. Our heartfelt condolences to the families whose loved ones lost their lives in the attack.”
Tedros stated that he was in Yemen to negotiate the release of UN officials held by the Houthis and evaluate the humanitarian situation. The Israeli military did not immediately answer AFP's request for comment on whether they were aware of Tedros' presence at the time.
Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, announced on Thursday afternoon that Israel's air force hit Houthi targets along the coast and in Sanaa, adding: “We are determined to cut off this terrorist arm of Iran’s evil axis. We will persist in this until we complete the task.”
In an interview with Channel 14, Netanyahu stated that Israel was only at the beginning of its campaign against the Houthis. “We are just getting started with them,” he said, Reuters reported.
The Houthis have regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel in what they call acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The Israeli military stated that in addition to bombing the airport, it also targeted military facilities in Yemen's west coast ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib.
It also targeted the country's Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations. According to the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency, three persons were killed in the airport strikes, three in Hodeidah, and 40 others were wounded in the attacks.
Later on Thursday, the Houthis claimed they were ready to retaliate swiftly to the attack and confront "escalation with escalation", according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV...
The Houthi transport minister informed Saba that the airport and Hodeidah port would resume normal operations on Friday. More than a year of Houthi strikes has interrupted international shipping lines, forcing firms to reroute to longer and more expensive journeys, fuelling concerns about global inflation.
The UN Security Council will convene on Monday to discuss the Houthi attacks on Israel, Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon announced on Wednesday. On Saturday, Israel's military failed to intercept a Yemeni missile that landed in the Tel Aviv-Jaffa area, injuring fourteen people.