The Israeli military on Thursday (Dec 26) launched strikes at multiple locations in Yemen including the Sanaa International Airport. According to a report by the news agency AFP, three people were killed in the strikes.

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The strikes targeting the airport, military facilities and power stations in rebel areas follow rising hostilities between Israel and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, part of Iran's "axis of resistance" alliance against Israel.

Also read | Houthis ‘uncover’ Mossad, CIA spy network as Israel shifts focus to Yemen

The other targets included facilities at Hodeida, Salif and Ras Kanatib ports. In a statement, the Israeli military said that these locations were being used by the Houthi rebels to smuggle Iranian weapons into the region and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. 

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WHO chief was at Sanaa airport during strike

World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he was at the Sanaa International Airport when it was hit by the Israeli strike.

Tedros said that "one of our plane's crew members was injured." The WHO chief was in Yemen to seek the release of detained UN staff and assess the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.

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Tedros said that his team were about to board their flight when the airport came under aerial bombardment. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, Houthi rebels said that two people were killed and 11 others were injured during the strike at the airport.

'Israeli strikes would continue until job is done'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel's strikes would continue until the job was done.

"We are determined to cut this branch of terrorism from the Iranian axis of evil," Prime Minister Netanyahu said in a video statement.

Also read | Israel vows to target Houthi leaders, says 'will act against them to remove threat'

Since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, Houthis have  fired drones and missiles towards Israel in what they describe as acts of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

More than a year of Houthi attacks have disrupted international shipping routes, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys that have in turn stoked fears over global inflation.

(With inputs from agencies)