Houthis condemns Israeli airstrike on Sanaa airport amid UN departure
Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a power station in the Houthi-run Yemeni capital Sanaa on December 19, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Israeli airstrikes targeting Sanaa International Airport on Thursday evening killed two airport employees and injured the assistant of a United Nations (UN) plane’s captain, according to Yemen’s Houthis.
The plane had landed to facilitate the departure of World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who had been visiting Yemen. Houthi Foreign Minister Jamal Amer condemned the timing of the strike on X, formerly Twitter, calling it an “attack targeting and disregarding the UN.” The airstrike reportedly occurred as Tedros and UN Resident Coordinator Julian Harnis were preparing to board the UN flight.
In a statement, Houthi officials accused Israel of escalating attacks in Yemen. Israeli warplanes reportedly launched a wave of airstrikes across strategic locations, including the Sanaa airport and the port of Al-Hudaydah, a critical hub in western Yemen. Power stations were also targeted in the operation, according to Israel’s Channel 12, though further details were not provided.
The airstrikes coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi. Israel’s public broadcaster, KAN, reported that dozens of fighter jets participated in the operation, which had been coordinated with the United States beforehand.
The strikes follow increased tensions between Israel and the Houthis, who have targeted Israeli-linked shipping and naval vessels in the Red Sea in recent weeks. The attacks were described by the Houthis as an expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israeli operations since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks have resulted in the deaths of more than 45,000 people, according to Houthi sources.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned on Wednesday that Houthi forces would face consequences, signaling heightened military action against the group. Meanwhile, the U.S. and U.K. have also carried out airstrikes targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, compounding the region’s instability.
The airstrikes have drawn criticism from Houthi officials, who framed the attacks as a violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and an unnecessary provocation amid heightened regional tensions.
