Israeli strikes destroy last plane at Yemen's Sanaa airport
30 May 2025 10:45am
A destroyed airplane lies on the tarmac at Sanaa International Airport on May 29, 2025, in the aftermath of an Israeli military strike. Israeli air strikes blew up the last remaining plane at Yemen's international airport, Israel and a Yemeni official said on May 28, 2025. - (Photo by MOHAMMED HUWAIS / AFP)
SANAA - Israeli air strikes blew up the last remaining plane at rebel-held Yemen's international airport, Israel and a Yemeni official said on Wednesday, weeks after an earlier attack inflicted major damage.
An air raid involving multiple strikes hit the Yemenia Airways plane and the runway at Sanaa airport, the Huthi rebels' Al-Masirah TV channel posted on X, decrying "Israeli aggression".
Thick black smoke was seen billowing from a stricken plane on the tarmac, in a video posted on X by Sanaa airport director Khaled al-Shaief who said it was Yemenia's last operational aircraft.
The airport had only resumed limited commercial services on May 17, according to Huthi authorities, after it was closed by a heavy Israeli attack that destroyed six planes 11 days earlier.
The Huthis, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians, have been firing on Israel and Red Sea shipping throughout the Gaza war, prompting reprisal strikes from Israel as well as the United States and Britain.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said fighter jets targeted Huthi "terror targets" at the airport, a day after the group fired two projectiles at Israel.
"Air Force jets have just struck terror targets of the Huthi terrorist organisation at the airport in Sanaa and destroyed the last aircraft remaining," he said in a statement.
An Israeli military statement said aircraft there "were used by the Huthi terrorist organisation for the transfer of terrorists who advanced terrorist attacks against the state of Israel".
According to a statement from Yemenia, the plane was about to be boarded by Muslim pilgrims bound for the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Destroyed airplanes lie on the tarmac at Sanaa International Airport on May 29, 2025, in the aftermath of an Israeli military strike. Israeli air strikes blew up the last remaining plane at Yemen's international airport, Israel and a Yemeni official said on May 28, 2025. - (Photo by MOHAMMED HUWAIS / AFP)
- 'Fragile situation' -
The Huthis began their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in November 2023, weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, prompting British and US military strikes beginning in January 2024.
Earlier this month, the United States agreed a ceasefire with the Huthis, ending weeks of intense American strikes on rebel-held areas.
However, the Huthis have continued to fire frequent projectiles at Israel, including strikes targeting Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Earlier this month, Israel threatened to target the Huthi leadership.
United Nations special envoy Hans Grundberg warned in a statement that clashes between the Huthis and Israel are "exacerbating an already very fragile situation for Yemen and the region".
The Huthis had earlier paused their attacks during a two-month ceasefire in Gaza that collapsed in March.
The rebels have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition since 2015 in a conflict that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and triggered a major humanitarian crisis in Yemen, although fighting has decreased significantly since a UN-negotiated six-month truce in 2022.
That year the airport, closed for six years during the war, reopened to commercial flights and has offered services to and from Amman in Jordan. - AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
11 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Egypt's Sisi says Israel's war in Gaza a 'systematic genocide'
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Tuesday Israel was pursuing "a war of starvation and genocide" in Gaza, and denied accusations Cairo prevented life-saving aid from entering the Palestinian territory. "The war in Gaza is no longer merely a war to achieve political goals or release hostages," Sisi told a press conference in Cairo along with his Vietnamese counterpart. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, vowing to crush the Palestinian militant group and to free hostages. To Sisi, "this war has long since surpassed any logic or justification, and has become a war of starvation and genocide." "There is systematic genocide to eradicate the Palestinian cause," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday Israel must "complete" the defeat of Hamas to free hostages held in Gaza, a day after Israeli media reported the army could occupy the entire territory. Israel has heavily restricted aid into Gaza which is slipping into a catastrophic famine 22 months into the war. It has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Following mounting international pressure on Israel, in late May aid has only began trickling into Gaza, which borders Israel and Egypt. In response to what Sisi said were "bankrupt" accusations of Egypt's complicity in the siege, the president reiterated that the Rafah border crossing with Gaza was "never closed." The crossing at Rafah was a vital entry point of aid in the early months of the war, until Israeli troops took over its Palestinian side in May 2024, forcing it shut. "The crossing was able to bring in aid as long as there were no Israeli troops stationed on the Palestinian side of the crossing," Sisi said, adding that there are 5,000 trucks loaded with aid waiting to enter Gaza. He also defended what he said was Egypt's consistently "positive" role seeking an end to the conflict. Since the war began, Cairo has undertaken a delicate balancing act, retaining its position as a mediator between Israel and Hamas – along with the United States and Qatar – while repeatedly criticising Israel's assault. Cairo has also repeatedly refused US plans to displace Palestinians into Egypt, lobbying for a reconstruction plan for the territory that has fallen by the wayside as truce talks repeatedly folded. "Egypt will always remain a gateway for aid, not a gateway for the displacement of the Palestinian people," Sisi said on Tuesday. "We are prepared to allow aid in at any time, but we are not prepared to receive or displace Palestinians from their land." Last week, Sisi urged US President Donald Trump – who had touted the plan to displace Palestinians into Egypt – to intervene, saying he "is the one capable of ending the war, brining in aid and ending this suffering."
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
PM Anwar's four wins as Asean Chair, according to veteran Thai journalist
BANGKOK: (Bernama) Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's (pic) success in mediating a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, which resulted in an immediate halt to armed clashes along their disputed border, was hailed as a major diplomatic victory. The courageous and decisive move by the Malaysian premier has not only strengthened his position as a political leader and effective Asean Chair, but also elevated the regional bloc's profile on the global stage. Veteran Thai journalist and regional affairs commentator Kavi Chongkittavorn said when tensions escalated into artillery exchanges between the two neighbouring countries last month, Anwar seized the moment in his capacity as Asean Chair and emerged as a statesman on the regional stage. In an article titled "Four Wins For Asean Chair Anwar" published on Thai PBS World, Kavi said the Malaysian Prime Minister scored four wins with his decisive step to help de-escalate the ongoing tension between the two neighbours. The first win he noted was that Anwar, leveraging his position as Asean Chair, stepped up to act as a mediator, projecting himself as Southeast Asia's peacemaker. He attributed the second win to Anwar's ability to turn the crisis into an opportunity to boost Asean's centrality and relevance. "Major powers often ridicule Asean as a talk shop without action. The ceasefire deal - which still holds - changed that narrative. "Anwar used his chairmanship to show Asean could broker peace when it mattered. "He didn't just convene meetings; he actively facilitated the entire process. "The message is clear: Asean is performing a somersault. It just needs decisive leadership,' Kavi said. Veteran Thai journalist and regional affairs commentator Kavi Chongkittavorn. He said the Malaysian premier's third win was succeeding to not only break the deadlock of the armed clashes, but also to convince Thai acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to come to Kuala Lumpur for an unprecedented face-to-face direct dialogue. For the record, previous confrontations from 2008 to 2011 saw Thailand completely decline Asean's invitation for mediation talks. The fourth win was balancing the two major powers and important players for Asean - the United States (US) and China, and most remarkably, engaging them to witness the ceasefire talks. "These superpowers rarely collaborate on anything these days. Yet both sent envoys to support the Asean chair's initiative. "Both powers were present, but neither dominated - exactly what Asean wanted,' he said. Anwar's balancing act was particularly impressive, given his recent regular vitriol against Washington. He has been vocal about Gaza (more so than Indonesia), criticising both Israeli and US policies. Kavi said this extraordinary achievement shows what Asean can achieve with active, credible leadership. "After all, Anwar is an old and astute Asean hand. Truth be told, Anwar understood this perfectly. "He saw that regional dynamics and global shifts had created an opening. He seized it with both hands,' he wrote. For Asean, Kavi said the crisis reminds us that actions speak louder than words, and louder than all the annual joint communiqués. "For Anwar, it is proof that skilled diplomacy can transform political fortunes. For the region, it is hoped that Asean-led solutions can still work in Trump's world,' he added. Kavi's full article can be read at . - Bernama
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Russia hints at deploying mid-range missiles after ending INF moratorium
MOSCOW: Russia on Tuesday suggested it could deploy intermediate-range missiles after ending a self-imposed moratorium on producing or deploying the weapons, which were banned for decades under a Cold War treaty with the United States. Washington and Moscow had prohibited missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300-3,400 miles) under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. But US President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal during his first term in 2019, accusing Russia of failing to comply. The Kremlin said at the time it would continue to abide by a moratorium if the United States did not deploy missiles within striking distance of Russia. Russia's foreign ministry said Monday it was ending the self-imposed restrictions, with the Kremlin hinting on Tuesday that Moscow could soon deploy the previously-banned missiles. 'There are no longer any restrictions in Russia in this regard. Russia no longer considers itself limited in any way,' President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters. Moscow was 'entitled, if necessary, to take appropriate measures' on the deployment of the missiles, he said, adding that there would be no public announcement if Russia decided to station the missiles. Putin said last year Russia should start producing mid-range missiles -- capable of carrying nuclear warheads -- after the United States sent some launch systems to Denmark for training exercises. Russia has also accused the United States of sending the systems to the Philippines and Australia for drills. 'The United States and its allies have not only openly outlined plans to deploy American land-based INF missiles in various regions, but have also already made significant progress in the practical implementation of their intentions,' Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement. The move comes after Trump announced the deployment of two nuclear submarines 'in the region' amid an online row with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's former president. Medvedev on Monday said Russia's foes should be on standby. 'This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps,' he said in his first social media post since the row with Trump erupted. - AFP
