Saudi-led strikes in Yemen pause aid flights bound for the conflict zone

Sanaa: Yemen’s Houthi-held capital braced itself for yet another series of air strikes conducted by Saudi-led coalition forces on Tuesday. UN aid flights to the capital were halted as the bombs targeting Houthi rebels fell close to the airport, in the capital city of Yemen.

UN official make his remarks, “the airport is no longer safe for humanitarian activities to be carried out by the UN and other international humanitarian organizations.”

The Sanna International Airport has generally halted activities ever since the Saudi blockade of the capital in August 2016, but there have been rare occasions in which aid flights were allowed to land in the capital.

An unidentified airport official made remarks stating that the international humanitarian aid is one of the most essential lifelines for the entire population and the UN must do more in order to secure a halt to the devastating air-raids for the aid work to resume.

On Monday, an official statement was issued by the Saudi government confirming that the air-strikes were intended to destroy legitimate military targets present in and around the area of the Sanna International Airport.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the strikes were held in response to the rebel led cross-border attacks targeting various infrastructure present inside the Saudi borders. Moreover, the Saudi press assured that the strikes were carried out in complete accordance with the international humanitarian law.

However, there are conflicting reports coming out from Yemen as Sanna airport’s director general claimed that the air-strikes were held in order to disrupt humanitarian aid activities as Saudi forces targeted warehouses, storage areas, health quarantine quarters and air traffic control tower to further disrupt communications.

The rebels have repeatedly orchestrated missile and drone strikes against neighbors Saudi Arabia, targeting airports and oil infrastructure. The Saudi-led coalition forces have increased air-strikes in recent months.