In brief
In a chilling account, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shares how he and UN staff narrowly avoided death in an Israeli airstrike at Yemen's Sanaa airport amid rising regional tensions.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), revealed that he and his team narrowly avoided death during an Israeli airstrike on Yemen's Sanaa airport, which struck as they were preparing to leave the area. The attack occurred while they were engaged in negotiations for the release of UN detainees and assessing the country's humanitarian crisis. In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today program, Dr. Tedros expressed the chaotic atmosphere during the attack, noting, "It was very chaotic ... people were in disarray and running everywhere." He described feeling utterly "exposed" without any shelter, deeming it "a matter of luck" that the missile did not strike them directly. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the airstrike, stating it targeted military installations used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The IDF insisted that the airport was being utilized for smuggling Iranian weapons and hosting high-ranking Iranian officials, labeling the Houthis' use of civilian infrastructure for military gain as an ongoing concern. Reports vary regarding the casualties of the attack. The Houthi-run Saba news agency reported three airport fatalities and numerous injuries, alongside casualties from additional strikes targeting power facilities and a port. The classification of those killed remains ambiguous, creating uncertainty regarding whether they were civilians or combatants. The Houthi group condemned the strikes as "barbaric" and reiterated their resolve to retaliate against Israel until the violence in Gaza ceases. Alongside ongoing conflicts, Houthi rebels have been involved in attacks against Israel since October 2023, following a surprise assault that resulted in significant Israeli casualties. As tensions in the region escalate, Dr. Tedros emphasized that the civilian nature of the airport should have spared it from military action. He expressed the universal value of human life, underscoring that his own safety is not paramount compared to that of others.
