United Nations, Dec 27 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the escalation of the fight between Yemen's Houthis and Israel, and called for a ceasefire, his spokesperson said in a statement.
"Israeli airstrikes on Sanaa International Airport, the Red Sea ports and power stations in Yemen are especially alarming," the spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday.
The airstrikes reportedly resulted in numerous casualties, including an injury to a UN Humanitarian Air Service crew member.
According to the statement, a high-level UN delegation, headed by World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was at the airport when the strikes occurred.
The delegation had just concluded discussions on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and the release of detained UN and other personnel.
Expressing deep concern about the risk of further escalation in the region, the UN chief reiterated his call for all parties concerned to cease all military actions and exercise utmost restraint.
He also warned that airstrikes on Red Sea ports and Sanaa airport pose grave risks to humanitarian operations, the statement said.
Earlier on December 25, Yemen's Houthi group announced that they had launched two drones at the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Ashkelon, targeting 'vital' and 'industrial' areas.
"We carried out two military operations, the first of which targeted a vital and sensitive zone in Tel Aviv city. The second operation targeted the industrial zone in Ashkelon city," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement broadcast by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.
"The two operations were carried out by two drones and achieved their goals successfully," he added, stating that the group's operations against Israel "would not stop until the aggression on Gaza stopped and the siege on it was lifted."
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli side.
Earlier that morning, the Houthi group had claimed responsibility for a 'hypersonic ballistic missile' attack on Tel Aviv, which the Israeli army said had been intercepted.
The Houthi group had intensified its attacks on Israel following pledges by Israeli officials to launch a significant offensive against it.