The United Nations chief has denounced the “escalation” in hostilities between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Israel, calling IDF strikes on targets together with on the airport in Sana’a “particularly alarming” after it got here beneath assault whereas the top of the World Well being Group was about to board a airplane.
Israel struck a number of targets linked to the Iran-aligned Houthi motion in Yemen on Thursday, together with the worldwide airport within the capital, Sana’a. Houthi media stated not less than six individuals have been killed.
A spokesperson for UN secretary common, António Guterres, stated in an announcement: “The secretary common condemns the escalation between Yemen and Israel. Israeli airstrikes in the present day on Sana’a worldwide airport, the Purple Sea ports and energy stations in Yemen are particularly alarming …
“Right now’s airstrikes comply with round a yr of escalatory actions by the Houthis within the Purple Sea and the area that threaten civilians, regional stability and freedom of maritime navigation.”
The top of the World Well being Group (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated in a social media submit on Thursday that he was about to board a airplane on the airport when it got here beneath aerial assault. A crew member on the airplane was injured, he stated, and not less than two individuals have been reported killed on the airport.
“The air visitors management tower, the departure lounge – only a few meters from the place we have been – and the runway have been broken. We might want to watch for the harm to the airport to be repaired earlier than we will go away. My UN and @WHO colleagues and I are secure. Our heartfelt condolences to the households whose family members misplaced their lives within the assault.”
Tedros stated he had been in Yemen to barter the discharge of UN employees detained by the Houthis and assess the humanitarian state of affairs.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated on Thursday afternoon that Israel’s air drive attacked Houthi targets on the shoreline and in Sanaa, including: “We’re decided to chop off this terrorist arm of Iran’s evil axis. We’ll persist on this till we full the duty.”
Netanyahu stated in an interview with Channel 14 that Israel was solely in the beginning of its marketing campaign towards the Houthis. “We’re simply getting began with them,” he stated.
Houthis have repeatedly fired drones and missiles in direction of Israel in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli navy stated that along with placing the airport, it additionally hit navy infrastructure on the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Kanatib on Yemen’s west coast. It additionally attacked the nation’s Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib energy stations.
The Houthi-controlled Saba information company stated that three individuals have been killed within the strikes on the airport and three have been killed in Hodeidah, whereas 40 others have been wounded within the assaults.
Afterward Thursday, the Houthis stated they have been prepared to reply rapidly to the assault and meet “escalation with escalation”, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported.
The Houthi transport minister instructed Saba that each the airport and Hodeidah port would resume regular operations from Friday.
Greater than a yr of Houthi assaults has disrupted worldwide transport routes, forcing corporations to re-route to longer and costlier journeys which have in flip stoked fears over international inflation.
The UN safety council is because of meet on Monday over the Houthi assaults on Israel, Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon stated on Wednesday.
On Saturday, Israel’s navy didn’t intercept a missile from Yemen that fell within the Tel Aviv-Jaffa space, injuring 14 individuals.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse
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