On Thursday, the Israeli airstrikes targeted the airport of Sana’ar, the capital of Yemen. At the same time, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros was preparing to fly out of Yemen after completing his mission there.
The WHO chief arrived in Yemen to discuss the release of UN staff held hostage by Houthi fighters for the past few months. Besides, he inquired about the health and humanitarian situation of the country.
According to Dr. Tedros, after the mission was over, he and his team were about to board the plane and at the same time the airport was attacked. Even though Dr. Tedros and his team were some distance away, they were all safe.
At least two people were reportedly killed in the bombing, while one aircrew member was injured.
The airport’s air traffic control tower was damaged and the boarding waiting room was damaged.
The UN health agency director-general said his colleagues and himself were safe, but they would have to wait until the airport was repaired before leaving Sanaa.
Yemen has been burning in the heat of war and humanitarian crisis for the past decade. In 2014, Houthi fighters (Ansar Allah group) captured the country’s capital, Sana’a. About 18 million people in the country are dependent on humanitarian assistance and protection services.
Houthi fighters have held many UN staff and civil society, non-governmental organizations and other organizations hostage in Yemen over the past few months, for whose release they have issued several appeals. A UN team has arrived in the capital, Sana’a, to try to free the employees.
After fighting between the internationally recognized government and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition and Houthi fighters, a UN-brokered ceasefire has expired, but fighting has yet to return to previous levels.
In addition to Sana’a airport, the Ras-Isa port was also targeted by the Israeli military on Thursday, where one person was reported killed.
The head of the United Nations Health Organization, on behalf of his organization, expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the attack.