Israeli Sanaa airport airstrike blocks 800 Yemeni pilgrims
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Israeli airstrike on Sana'a airport halts all flights, blocking 800 pilgrims and patients, prompting Yemen to call it a grave violation of international law.
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A man walks in front of a damaged Yemeni plane at Sanaa International Airport in Sanaa, Yemen, Thursday, May 29, 2025, a day after Israeli airstrikes (AP)
The Director General of Sanaa International Airport, Khaled Al-Shaif, confirmed that the latest Israeli aggression targeting the airport has prevented 800 Yemeni pilgrims from traveling to perform the Hajj in Mecca, in addition to thousands of patients who were awaiting travel for treatment abroad.
Speaking at a press conference, the government in Sanaa strongly condemned the targeting of the airport by Israeli warplanes, noting that the strike occurred while a group of pilgrims was preparing to depart. The attack was described as a “gross violation and serious breach of international law and its principles.”
Al-Shaif stated that the only remaining Yemenia Airways aircraft, which had been operating three flights a day, was completely destroyed in the strike, resulting in a total shutdown of air traffic at the airport.
Yemen calls for accountability for 'Israel'
He added that this latest attack brings the total number of civilian aircraft destroyed at Sanaa International Airport to eight since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on Yemen.
The government in Sanaa held the United Nations, the UN Security Council, and all relevant international organizations fully responsible for the repeated Israeli attacks on the airport and other civilian infrastructure.
It called for a clear and unequivocal international position condemning what it described as a “reprehensible crime,” reiterating that Yemen had the legitimate right to defend its people and territory against any external aggression that violates its sovereignty.
Attack comes after Sanaa resumed flights
The renewed Israeli aggression comes shortly after Sanaa Airport reopened for limited civilian travel, and the facility had resumed operations with four flights between Sanaa and the Jordanian capital, Amman, following extensive repairs.
On May 6, Israeli aircraft launched 30 direct airstrikes on the airport, causing massive destruction to civilian planes, terminals, and key infrastructure, including both the main and secondary runways.
The latest airstrikes further illustrate the continued targeting of civilian airports and the broader impact of "Israel’s" aggression against Yemen’s population. The pattern of recurring assaults on critical transport hubs raises serious concerns about the safety of civilian air travel and the deliberate disruption of humanitarian and economic routes.
As "Israel" expands its aggression across multiple fronts, including Yemen, the re-escalation of attacks on Sanaa International Airport underscores the fragile nature of any attempts at restoring basic services in the country.
