Antonio Guterres
Antonio GuterresREUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday condemned the intensifying conflict between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Israel, calling Israel’s strikes on Sanaa International Airport “especially alarming.”

"The Secretary-General condemns the escalation between Yemen and Israel. Israeli airstrikes today on Sanaa International Airport, the Red Sea ports, and power stations in Yemen are especially alarming," said a spokesperson for Guterres in a statement, as quoted by AFP.

"The Secretary-General remains deeply concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region and reiterates his call for all parties concerned to cease all military actions and exercise utmost restraint," added the UN chief’s spokesman.

He added, "He also warns that airstrikes on Red Sea ports and Sanaa airport pose grave risks to humanitarian operations at a time when millions of people are in need of life-saving assistance."

Guterres also criticized the Houthi rebels for actions that have destabilized the region over the past year. "The Secretary-General condemns a year of escalatory actions... in the Red Sea and the region that threaten civilians, regional stability, and freedom of maritime navigation," he said.

According to an IDF statement published after Thursday’s strikes, the targets that were struck by the IDF include military infrastructure used by the Houthi terrorist regime for its military activities in both the Sana’a International Airport and the Hezyaz and Ras Kanatib power stations.

In addition, the IDF struck military infrastructure in the Al-Hudaydah, Salif, and Ras Kanatib ports on the western coast.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was present at Sanaa Airport during Israel’s strikes, said on social media that a member of the UN air crew was injured in the Israeli strikes.

Israel’s strikes in Yemen followed the latest Houthi missile launches towards Israel.

On Wednesday evening, a UAV launched by the Houthi terrorist rebels in Yemen set off sirens in the Ashkelon area just as residents were lighting the first candle of Hanukkah. The UAV crashed in an open area and no one was injured.

Earlier in the day, shortly before 4:30 a.m., sirens sounded in central Israel, the Shfela, and Judea as a missile was launched from Yemen. Residents reported hearing explosions.

The IDF updated that one missile from Yemen was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory. Sirens regarding rocket and missile launches were activated due to the possibility of falling shrapnel from the interception.

Early Tuesday morning, sirens were activated in central Israel, the Shfela and in the Arad area following a launch from Yemen.

Residents reported hearing the sounds of explosions.

The IDF Spokesperson's Unit stated, "Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago, a projectile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted prior to crossing into Israeli territory."

"Rocket and missile sirens were sounded following the possibility of falling shrapnel from the interception," the IDF statement added.

Guterres’ condemnation of Israel’s retaliatory strikes is the latest in a series of criticisms by the UN chief of Israel’s counterterrorism operations since October 7, 2023. Most recently, the UN Secretary-General condemned Israel's strikes in Syria and called for them to stop.

Israel began launching strikes in Syria following the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime, targeting strategic weapons and military infrastructure to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

"Extensive Israeli air strikes continue. These are violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and they must stop," Guterres declared during a press conference last Thursday.

"Syria's sovereignty, territorial unity, and integrity must be fully restored, and all acts of aggression must come to an immediate end," he added.