Guterres condemns escalation in Yemen as airstrikes hit Sana’a Airport, key infrastructure

By Anjali Sharma
UNITED NATIONS- UN head Antonio Guterres on Thursday condemned the deadly escalation between Yemen and Israel, after Israeli airstrikes killed at least 3 people, injured dozens, and struck critical civilian infrastructure, including Sana’a International Airport, in a statement issued by UN spokesman’s office in New York.

According to news media reports the strikes targeted Sana’a International Airport, Red Sea ports, and power stations, injured a member of the UN Humanitarian Air Crew at the airport.

A high-level UN delegation, led by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was at the airport when the strikes occurred, after discussions on Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and the release of detained UN personnel.

UN Associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay in a statement said “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.”

She added that Secretary-General António Guterres remains deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation and has urged all parties to cease military actions and exercise restraint.

“He also warns that airstrikes on Red Sea ports and Sana’a airport pose grave risks to humanitarian operations at a time when millions of people are in need of life-saving assistance,” Ms. Tremblay said.

Mr. Guterres also emphasized that international law, including humanitarian law as applicable, must be respected at all times, and appealed to all to respect and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

“Humanitarian relief personnel must not be targeted and must be respected and protected at all times,” the statement read.

The escalation in the region continues to undermine the mediation efforts led by the Special Envoy of the for Yemen Hans Grundberg to reach a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Yemen, it added.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was at Sana’a airport during the airstrikes, described the scene on social media.

“As we were about to board our flight from Sana’a…the airport came under aerial bombardment,” he wrote.

Tedros said that the strikes damaged the air traffic control tower and the departure lounge, just meters from where Tedros and his team stood.

“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,” he said.

He added that condolences to families who lost loved ones in the attack.