Moments before the director-general of the World Health Organization was to board a flight, a series of Israeli airstrikes targeted Yemen’s main airport, injuring a crew member of the United Nations plane. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that he was merely meters away from the attack at Sanaa airport on Thursday.
Ghebreyesus posted on social media platform X: “We were getting ready to board our flight from Sanaa when the airport came under aerial bombardment. One of the crew members of our plane was injured.” He reported that major airport infrastructure, such as the air traffic control tower and departure lounge, were hit during the attacks, but he and his colleagues escaped injury.
No reaction from Israeli authorities was immediately issued in connection with the attack. However, the Houthi-controlled Saba news agency reported that strikes had killed three people at the airport and three in the port city of Hodeidah. A total of at least 40 others were injured by the attacks.
The Israeli military said that the attacks targeted infrastructure used by the Houthi movement, including the international airport in Sanaa, power stations, and ports. Israel claims that the facilities are used to import Iranian weapons and to help Iranian officials enter Yemen.
Recently, Houthis have resorted to launching drones and missiles toward Israel and, in so doing, framing these acts as a display of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. According to reports from Al Jazeera, there was confirmation from UN Headquarters in New York by its correspondent, Gabriel Elizondo, that Ghebreyesus and his team were evacuated safely after the attack on the airport but narrowly.
A UN spokesperson commented that all employees are accounted for, noting the importance of upholding international humanitarian law. Stephanie Tremblay called on respect for civilians and humanitarian personnel, saying, “Humanitarian relief personnel must not be targeted and must be respected and protected at all times.”
On Friday, Ghebreyesus announced that the injured crew member had been evacuated to Jordan for further medical treatment. He reiterated the urgent need for an end to attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers.
In response to the airstrikes, the Houthis said they are prepared to retaliate. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reports a vow to meet “escalation with escalation.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview, indicated that Israel’s campaign against the Houthis was just beginning, asserting, “We are just getting started with them.”
Yemeni researcher Raiman al-Hamdani remarked that the airstrikes represent a notable escalation in the conflict. He cautioned that the Houthis’ commitment to continue their attacks on Israel could lead to further instability, stating, “I think there is no going back from what we’ve seen today.”
In the past week, Israeli warplanes conducted airstrikes in Sanaa and Hodeidah, killing nine people. The US military has also struck Houthi positions in Yemen in recent days. The latest Israeli moves come after a spate of Houthi missile launches that set off air raid sirens in Israel, as the group has also been attacking shipping routes in the Red Sea, saying these attacks are in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to more than 45,000 Palestinian casualties, with a vast majority of them being women and children, according to figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
