World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he has left Yemen safely after being hit by Israeli bombing at Sanaa International Airport as part of Operation Tzliley HaKerem. In parallel, the Houthis showed footage of him and members of his delegation awaiting departure.
The WHO chief said the bombing began suddenly and caused serious damage to the control tower and other airport facilities.
“The explosions occurred just a few meters away from us, the sound was so deafening that my ears were ringing for more than an hour after the attack,” Reuters quoted Ghebreyesus as saying. He also confirmed that one of the members of the delegation or the flight crew was injured.
The victim is now in Jordan, his condition is assessed as stable. Ghebreyesus expressed surprise that Israel attacked what he called a “civilian” target.
He noted that the trip to Yemen was public and his delegation received no warning about the danger.
“There was no cover at all, so you just stay in sight and wait to see what happens. The slightest mistake could lead to a direct hit on me,” he added.
The purpose of the delegation’s visit to Yemen was to negotiate the release of 16 UN and humanitarian workers held by the Houthis. Ghebreyesus emphasized that he understood the risks of the trip, but noted that it was during this period that the opportunity to make progress arose. He said he was aware of tensions between Israel and the Houthis, but the time was critical to save his employees.
The head of WHO also appealed to world leaders to stop attacks on civilian targets and work towards peaceful resolution of global conflicts.
“You need to protect a civilian airport, regardless of whether you are there or not. One of my colleagues said that we narrowly escaped death. I am an ordinary person, and I feel pain for those who face this every day. But at least it allows me to understand how they feel,” he said.
Earlier, Kursor reported that the UN issued new statements regarding the IDF attack on the Yemen airport.