Human Rights Watch (HRW) has advocated for an investigation into potential war crimes related to recent attacks on airports in Israel and Yemen. The rights organization contends that the assaults by both Israeli and Houthi forces may constitute “unlawful indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks on civilian objects.” The call for accountability follows a series of incidents involving these strategic sites.
Specifically, HRW’s report references three key attacks: two on Yemen’s Sanaa International Airport by Israeli forces on May 6 and May 28, 2025, and a Houthi attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on May 4, 2025. The importance of Sanaa Airport as a critical lifeline for Yemeni civilians was emphasized, with many relying on it for access to essential medical care and international travel. HRW highlighted concerns about the assault’s impact on civilian infrastructure in the region, underscoring the broader humanitarian implications.
According to HRW claims, the attack on Ben Gurion sparked retaliatory measures from Israel. These measures resulted in significant damage to the Sanaa Airport, including the destruction of aircraft, terminals, and the runway, as well as the cessation of commercial flights. Khaled al-Shaif, director of Sanaa Airport, confirmed the extent of the devastation, which was corroborated by Avi Adraee, IDF spokesperson for Arab media, who stated that the strikes were a necessary countermeasure against a crucial Houthi hub allegedly involved in transferring weapons and personnel.
HRW has also addressed the role of nations supplying arms to Israel, citing shared responsibility for complicity in potential unlawful acts. Meanwhile, UN officials dismissed the classification of Sanaa Airport as a military target, asserting its primary use as a civilian facility. The Geneva Conventions of 1949, an integral component of international humanitarian law, make clear that Protocol I prohibits indiscriminate attacks that knowingly result in excessive civilian casualties or damage. As such, HRW insists that the atrocities occurring in both Israel and Yemen must be carefully scrutinized under the purview of international legal standards.
Beyond these focal points, HRW has drawn attention to the ongoing involvement of the United States in Yemen. With documented strikes resulting in civilian casualties, the group stresses the imperative for immediate measures to alleviate the escalating violence, particularly in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis that threatens to intensify the plight facing Yemeni civilians.