Death toll rises to 6 in airport bombing as director-general of World Health Organization was about to board flight, killing 2 airport employees and injuring UN plane's assistant captain
Yemen's Houthi group said Thursday that six people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes targeting Sanaa International Airport, including two airport employees, while the assistant captain of a UN plane was also injured, according to reports.
The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television channel shared details of the attacks on its Telegram account.
"Enemy Israel's strikes on Sanaa International Airport and Hudaydah have killed six people and injured 40 others," it said.
The airstrikes came as World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was about to board a flight there.
Houthi Foreign Minister Jamal Amer condemned the timing of the Israeli airstrikes on the airport in a post on X.
He described the attack as “targeting and disregarding the UN,” as it coincided with preparations for Tedros and UN Resident Coordinator Julian Harnis to depart on a UN flight.
The Al-Masirah channel said the number of fatalities from the attack had risen to three with 16 injuries, while a strike on the Ras Isa oil port in Al-Hudaydah killed one person and three people went missing.
Tedros confirmed that he was at the airport when it was hit by the Israeli airstrikes.
“As we were about to board our flight from Sana'a, about two hours ago, the airport came under aerial bombardment. One of our plane's crew members was injured," he wrote on X.
“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” he said, adding the mission needs to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before they can leave.
Israeli warplanes launched a new wave of airstrikes in Yemen targeting several strategic sites, including Sanaa airport and Al-Hudaydah Port in western Yemen, Israeli public broadcaster KAN said.
In a statement, the Israeli military confirmed that the operation had been approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi.
Following the approval, Israeli fighter jets conducted airstrikes targeting what they described as "military sites belonging to Iranian-backed Houthis" in Yemen.
Israel's Channel 12 also said that power stations were targeted in the attacks, without providing further details.
According to Israel's Channel 13, dozens of Israeli fighter jets took part in the attacks, which coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi.
KAN said the US was notified before the launch of the attacks.
Channel 14 claimed that critical targets such as air traffic control towers and runways at Sanaa airport were destroyed alongside Al Hudaydah Port, allegedly a hub for arms smuggling to the Houthis.
Senior Israeli security officials cited by the channel suggested that the strikes could mark the beginning of a broader campaign. They indicated Israel might continue targeting the Houthis as long as the group persists in launching attacks against Israeli cities.
The latest strikes are part of a pattern of Israeli military action in Yemen this year. On July 20, Israeli airstrikes on Al Hudaydah Port were said to have killed dozens and caused significant material losses, estimated by Houthi officials at $20 million.
On Sept. 29, Israeli forces conducted widespread airstrikes on western Yemen, including Al Hudaydah and Ras Isa ports.
Most recently, on Dec. 19, Israel targeted power stations in Sanaa, Al Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Isa, resulting in nine deaths, three injuries and severe infrastructure damage. The strikes left hundreds of thousands without electricity.
Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported ongoing discussions with the US about the possibility of a major offensive in Yemen. The report said Israel views the Houthis as a resilient adversary with strong morale and widespread support across Arab populations.
The newspaper speculated on the potential for a radical shift in Israeli strategy, possibly involving international ground operations to oust the Houthis. However, such efforts may depend on a change in the US leadership, with Israeli officials expressing hope for a tougher stance under the Trump administration in 2025.
Netanyahu warned the Houthis on Wednesday, saying: “They will learn the same lessons as Hamas, Hezbollah, the Assad regime and others, even if it takes time.”
The Houthis have targeted Israel as well as Israeli-linked shipping and naval vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has killed more than 45,000 people since an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.
The US and UK have also been bombing Houthi targets in Yemen.
Netanyahu visited the Air Force command and control center Thursday to monitor the attack, his office said.
