UN condemns escalating tensions between Houthis and Israel

UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned Thursday's escalation of tensions between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Israel, following a series of Israeli strikes targeting Sanaa airport, a power plant and Red Sea ports.

During her press briefing, Stéphanie Tremblay, associate spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “The Secretary-General condemns the clashes between Yemen and Israel. The air strikes are reported to have caused numerous casualties, including at least three people killed and dozens injured. A UN Humanitarian Air Service crew member was also injured when the airport was hit. A high-level UN delegation, led by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros, was at the airport at the time of the strikes.”

The Houthis confirmed that six people were killed in the attack, including four at Sanaa airport. The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was at Sanaa airport at the time of the bombings, reported on X (formerly Twitter) that he was “safe and sound”.

Tremblay added: “The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned by the risk of further escalation in the region and reiterates his call on all parties concerned to cease all military action and exercise the utmost restraint. He also warned that the air strikes on the Red Sea ports and Sana'a airport pose serious risks to humanitarian operations, at a time when millions of people are in need of vital aid.”

The escalating tensions, the UN stresses, are jeopardizing the mediation efforts of Special Envoy Hans Grunberg, aimed at a negotiated political solution to the conflict in Yemen.

For his part, Fayçal al-Sayani, Deputy Minister of Transport in the rebel administration, announced that flights had resumed on Friday at 10:00 am local time (07:00 GMT) at Sanaa airport, following the Israeli strikes.