By Chibuike Nwabuko
United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has condemned the recent escalation between Yemen and Israel, stressing that he remains deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region.
His outburst is coming after Israel struck several sites in Yemen on Thursday including the international airport serving the capital Sanaa and the adjacent al-Dailami Air Base.
Reacting on his X account, @antonioguterres said, “the airstrikes today on Sana’a International Airport, the Red Sea ports and power stations in Yemen are especially alarming. The airstrikes reportedly resulted in numerous casualties including at least three killed and dozens more injured.”
“A UN Humanitarian Air Service crew member was also injured when the airport was hit. A high-level UN delegation, headed by WHO Director-General @DrTedros, was at the airport when the strikes occurred. The delegation had just concluded discussions on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the release of UN and other detained personnel.”
“Today’s airstrikes follow around a year of escalatory actions by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the region that threaten civilians, regional stability and freedom of maritime navigation.”
Guterres reiterated his call for all parties to cease military actions and exercise utmost restraint, adding that International law must be respected and civilians and humanitarian workers must never be targeted.
Precise Post recalls that Houthi Al Masirah TV reported that the Israeli strikes killed three, including two in the strike on Sanaa International Airport. Eleven more were injured, it added.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director G8eneral of the United Nations’ World Health Organization, said the strikes prevented a mission negotiating the release of UN staff detainees from leaving Yemen.
“As we were about to board our flight from Sanaa, about two hours ago, the airport came under aerial bombardment,” Ghebreyesus said online, adding that a member of the UN’s plane crew was injured. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave, he added.
