According to AFP and other media reports, on December 26, local time, Israel launched air strikes on Sana’a International Airport in the Yemeni capital and Hodeidah Province on the Red Sea coast, killing at least 6 people and injuring many others. At that time, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros was preparing to board a plane at Sana’a International Airport. Fortunately, he and other UN colleagues were safe and sound. The following is the specific situation:
The incident
Tedros said on social media that when the airstrike occurred, he and his team were about to board a plane taking off from Sana’a. A crew member of the plane was injured, and the destroyed airport control tower and waiting room were only a few meters away from them. The airport runway was also damaged. They needed to wait until the airport was repaired before leaving.
An eyewitness told AFP that the airport was attacked “at least six times”.
Responses from all parties
The Israeli military: It said that the airstrike was a response to the continuous ballistic missile and drone attacks on Israel in recent weeks. The Israeli army carried out multiple “military targets” of the Houthi armed forces in Yemen. “Intelligence-based strikes”.
UN Secretary-General: Guterres condemned the “escalation” of hostilities between Israel and the Houthi armed forces in Yemen, and the attacks on Sana’a Airport, Red Sea ports and Yemeni power stations were “particularly worrying”, and called on all parties concerned to stop all military operations and exercise maximum restraint.
Yemeni Houthi armed forces: The news department controlled by them issued a statement saying that the Israeli government must “bear full responsibility” for the attack, calling on the international community to condemn Israel’s actions and take urgent measures to prevent such “aggression” from happening again in the future.
Background of the incident
Since the outbreak of a new round of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in October 2023, the Houthi armed forces have used drones and missiles to attack targets in the Red Sea waters many times. They stated that “ships associated with Israel” are the organization’s “legitimate targets” until Israel stops its military strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Since December 16, 2024, the Houthi armed forces in Yemen have launched 5 ballistic missiles and at least 5 drones at Israel. On December 21 On the 2nd, a missile launched by the Houthi armed forces broke through the Israeli air defense system and hit a park in southern Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people.
Israel’s air strikes are also aimed at striking the Houthi armed forces, curbing their power growth, safeguarding its own security interests, and assisting allies in resisting common enemies.
