The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he narrowly escaped death during a deadly Israeli airstrike on Yemen’s Sanaa International Airport on Thursday.
Speaking to BBC radio on Saturday, Tedros recounted the harrowing moments of the attack, which he said left his ears ringing from the force of the explosions.
“I think it’s a matter of luck,” Tedros said. “If the missile deviated just slightly, it could have been on our heads,” he added, describing how the missile struck a departure lounge near him and later hit the control tower. “The explosion was so heavy, it was deafening.”
The airstrike, which targeted what Israel referred to as “military” sites, was the second of its kind in just over a week, following missile fire from the Huthi rebels towards Israel.
Four people were reported killed and 20 injured in the attack, according to Huthi Deputy Transport Minister Yahya al-Sayani.
Tedros, who was visiting Yemen as part of a United Nations mission to assess the humanitarian situation and secure the release of detained UN staff, emphasised the importance of protecting civilian installations under international law. “Whether they knew I was there or not doesn’t matter,” Tedros stated. “If it’s a civilian installation, it must be protected.”
Though he did not know if Israel was aware of his presence at the airport, he stressed that the safety of civilians should always come first.
Posting a video from the attack, he thanked airport staff and colleagues for their efforts to protect him during the assault.
Tedros and his team eventually flew to safety in Jordan, but he expressed deep concern for those living in constant danger in Yemen.
