https://arab.news/yvr6r
- Sanaa airport suspends flights after 鈥榮evere damage鈥� from Israel strikes: director
- Yemenia Airways lost three planes
SANAA: Israel鈥檚 attack on the airport in Yemen鈥檚 Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa destroyed terminal buildings and caused $500 million in damage, its director told Houthi media on Wednesday.
He said earlier in a statement on X that the airport was suspending all flights until further notice after sustaining 鈥渟evere damage鈥� in the Israeli strikes.
The strikes came after a Houthi missile gouged a crater near Tel Aviv鈥檚 Ben Gurion airport on Sunday.
鈥淎round $500 million in losses were caused by the Israeli aggression on Sanaa airport,鈥� its general director Khaled alShaief told the Houthis鈥� Al-Masirah television.
鈥淭he enemy destroyed the terminals at Sanaa airport, including all equipment and devices,鈥� he said, adding that a warehouse was also 鈥渃ompletely leveled.鈥�
Yemenia Airways lost three planes, he said, adding that six planes in total had been destroyed.
鈥淭here are alternatives to temporarily reopen the airport, and we need a long time to rehabilitate it and restore operations,鈥� he said.
On Tuesday, the Houthis and the United States agreed a ceasefire that would ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, mediator Oman said.
But the deal that was announced does not mention Israel, with the rebels vowing to respond to Tuesday鈥檚 strikes.
Houthis have been attacking Israel and merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since late 2023, saying they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians as the Gaza war rages.
The Houthis had paused their attacks during a recent two-month ceasefire in the Gaza war.
In March, they threatened to resume attacks on shipping over Israel鈥檚 aid blockade on the Gaza Strip, triggering a response from the US military, which began hammering the Houthis with near-daily air strikes.