Attacks on civilian infrastructure, including Sana’a airport in Yemen and Ben Gurion Airport in Israel are unacceptable, said Hans Grundberg the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, adding “Today’s strike on Sana’a airport and the destruction of a Yemeni civilian aircraft deprives many Yemenis of a critical means to leave the country for medical, educational, family or religious purposes, especially at a time when thousands are preparing for Hajj”.
The UN Special Envoy described the ongoing military confrontation between Israel and Houthi rebels as “exacerbating an already very fragile situation for Yemen and the region.
He called on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, and uphold their obligations under international law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.
He also urge a return to an intra-Yemeni dialogue, with the support of the region, as the only viable path toward lasting safety and security for Yemen and the region.