In brief
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described his narrow escape from death during an Israeli airstrike at a Yemeni airport, recounting chaos and fear as he and UN staff faced the sudden violence.
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus barely escaped harm during a recent Israeli airstrike at an airport in Yemen. In an interview with BBC Radio 4, he described the chaotic scene that unfolded as he and UN colleagues were departing Sanaa after negotiating with local authorities. The strike killed at least six individuals and left Dr. Tedros feeling "completely exposed."Dr. Tedros noted the airstrike, which he believed targeted Iran-backed Houthi rebels, forced UN personnel into a state of panic. "People were in disarray and running everywhere," he recounted. "It was a matter of luck; if the missile had deviated slightly, it could have been on our heads."The WHO chief, who has been at the forefront of global health discussions since 2017, emphasized that the presence of international staff at the airport prior to the airstrike was publicly known. However, he firmly stated, "Any civilian life is life—my life is not better than another human being." He criticized the attack on what he called a civilian facility, asserting it should not have been targeted.According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the strikes aimed at military installations linked to the Houthi group which purportedly used the airport for smuggling weapons and facilitating ties with Iranian officials. Houthi media reported fatalities and injuries from the attack, including claims of three deaths at the airport and others from associated strikes on regional infrastructure.In a statement of defiance, the Houthi organization condemned these attacks as "barbaric" and pledged to continue retaliating against Israel amidst ongoing regional tensions. The conflict has been escalating since October 2023, when a surprise assault by Palestinian militants resulted in significant casualties in Israel. This ongoing conflict has seen retaliatory tactics used by both Israel and Houthi forces, contributing to the complex humanitarian crisis in the region.
