WHO chief narrowly escapes from Israel’s strikes in Yemen

Israeli airstrikes target Houthi rebels in Yemen, injuring U.N. crew member, escalating conflict condemned by U.N. Secretary-General.

A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday (December 26, 2024) targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured.

“The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X.

He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service.

At least three people were later reported killed and dozens injured in the airport strike. The U.N. team members left the airport and were “safe and sound” in Sanaa while the injured crew member was being treated at a hospital, she said.

Mr. Tremblay said the damage assessment would be made on Friday (December 27, 2024) morning to see whether WHO chief and the U.N. team can leave Yemen.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation in attacks between Yemen and Israel and described Thursday’s (December 26, 2024) attacks as “especially alarming,” Mr. Tremblay said.

Israel’s army later told The Associated Press it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief or delegation was at the location in Yemen.