Iran condemns Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa Int'l Airport

TEHRAN - Iran strongly condemned Israel's airstrikes on the Sanaa International Airport, said a statement released by the ministry on Wednesday night.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei described the attacks as another sign of Israel's "brutality and hostility towards the Muslim peoples of Yemen and the West Asia region", according to the statement.

According to the Al-Masirah TV operated by the Houthi group, Israeli warplanes on Wednesday morning targeted the Sanaa airport's runway and a Yemenia Airlines plane in four strikes, destroying Yemen's last remaining commercial aircraft operated by the airline.

Baghaei said Israel's strikes aimed to "prevent the transfer of Yemeni pilgrims to the Saudi Arabian city of Makkah for the imminent Hajj pilgrimage and was a big crime", calling on the international community, especially the International Civil Aviation Organization, to pay immediate and serious attention to the situation.

He also condemned Israel's "repeated aggressions" against Yemen's economic infrastructure and civil facilities, including ports, airports and food warehouses, calling the attacks "clear examples of war crimes and crimes against humanity".

Baghaei highlighted the legal and moral responsibility of all countries in West Asia and the world for confronting Israel's "law-breaking and crimes" in the occupied Palestinian territories and against other countries in the region.

The Houthi group has been conducting attacks against Israeli targets since November 2023 in what it describes as solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The group has stated it would only cease its military operations if Israel ends its military campaign and blockade of Gaza.

Israel has responded with several major airstrikes on Yemeni targets. Two weeks ago, Israeli forces struck the Sanaa International Airport, rendering it temporarily inoperable.