Israeli Strike in Yemen Strands WHO Chief
The leader of the UN health organization was present at Yemen's primary airport during the Israeli airstrikes. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Tedros Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, reported that he was situated just “meters” away from an Israeli airstrike on Sanaa International Airport in Yemen's capital on Thursday. Although Ghebreyesus and his team emerged unharmed, they faced delays in their departure due to damage inflicted on the runway.
Ghebreyesus was in Yemen as part of a delegation aimed at negotiating the release of UN personnel, with at least 17 believed to be held by Houthi rebels, while also assessing the local health and humanitarian conditions.
The airstrike occurred as Ghebreyesus's team was preparing to board their flight. He recounted, “One of our plane’s crew members was injured. At least two people were reported killed at the airport.” He described the extent of the damage: “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge – just a few meters from where we were – and the runway were damaged. We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave.” Ghebreyesus reassured that “My UN and WHO colleagues and I are safe.”
Meanwhile, additional strikes were reported in the Red Sea port town of Ras Issa, located west of Sanaa. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its jets targeted what it described as Houthi “military infrastructure” at the airport, in addition to power stations and sites in Yemen’s western seaports, claiming these transport hubs had been utilized by the Houthis for smuggling Iranian weapons.
In a statement, the Israeli military asserted, “The Houthi terrorist regime is a central part of the Iranian axis of terror, and their attacks on international shipping vessels and routes continue to destabilize the region and the wider world.”
In response to the ongoing conflict, the Houthis have pledged to persist in their attacks on Israel until the IDF ceases its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Recent hostilities included the launch of a missile and several drones into Israel by the rebel group on Wednesday. Over the weekend, a Houthi missile strike injured 16 individuals at a playground in Tel Aviv.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
Ghebreyesus was in Yemen as part of a delegation aimed at negotiating the release of UN personnel, with at least 17 believed to be held by Houthi rebels, while also assessing the local health and humanitarian conditions.
The airstrike occurred as Ghebreyesus's team was preparing to board their flight. He recounted, “One of our plane’s crew members was injured. At least two people were reported killed at the airport.” He described the extent of the damage: “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge – just a few meters from where we were – and the runway were damaged. We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave.” Ghebreyesus reassured that “My UN and WHO colleagues and I are safe.”
Meanwhile, additional strikes were reported in the Red Sea port town of Ras Issa, located west of Sanaa. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that its jets targeted what it described as Houthi “military infrastructure” at the airport, in addition to power stations and sites in Yemen’s western seaports, claiming these transport hubs had been utilized by the Houthis for smuggling Iranian weapons.
In a statement, the Israeli military asserted, “The Houthi terrorist regime is a central part of the Iranian axis of terror, and their attacks on international shipping vessels and routes continue to destabilize the region and the wider world.”
In response to the ongoing conflict, the Houthis have pledged to persist in their attacks on Israel until the IDF ceases its military operations against Hamas in Gaza. Recent hostilities included the launch of a missile and several drones into Israel by the rebel group on Wednesday. Over the weekend, a Houthi missile strike injured 16 individuals at a playground in Tel Aviv.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
