The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with UN staff, was at Sanaa International Airport in Yemen on Thursday when the facility was struck by Israeli airstrikes.
In a social media post, Dr. Tedros confirmed the attack occurred as they prepared to board a flight. “One of our plane’s crew members was injured,” he wrote, adding that two people at the airport were killed.
The strikes, which also targeted power stations and ports, left at least three dead and more than a dozen injured, according to Houthi-run media. It remains unclear if the fatalities were civilians or members of the Houthi rebel group.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed responsibility for the airstrikes, describing them as precision attacks on “military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime” in western and inland Yemen. The IDF stated that the operation targeted infrastructure at Sanaa International Airport, two power stations, and several ports, including those in Al-Hudaydah and Salif.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strikes, emphasizing Israel’s determination to dismantle threats linked to Iran. “We will continue to cut off the terror arm of the Iranian axis of evil until we complete the job. This is just the beginning,” Netanyahu said.
Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi condemned the attacks as “barbaric” and “aggressive,” vowing continued resistance against what he termed “American and Israeli arrogance” until the Gaza conflict is resolved.
Eyewitnesses reported multiple strikes on the airport, including hits on the runway and the control tower. Dr. Abbas Rajeh, a doctor at a nearby police hospital, described treating ten victims, one of whom died while another remained in critical condition.
Iran criticized the strikes, calling them a “blatant violation of international peace and security.”
The escalation follows months of heightened tensions between Israel and the Houthi group, which has intensified attacks on Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023. Last week, a Houthi missile strike injured more than a dozen people in Israel.
Israel has retaliated with intermittent strikes, with its defense minister recently warning of plans to “strike hard” and eliminate the Houthi leadership.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, have controlled large parts of western Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since ousting Yemen’s internationally recognized government in 2015. The ongoing conflict has further deepened regional instability.