Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusReuters

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization, and his team were about to board a plane to leave Yemen when Israel struck the Sanaa International Airport, the United Nations claimed on its website.

According to Ghebreyesus, who was in Yemen to negotiate the release of UN staffers who have been held hostage by the Houthis for several months and to assess the health and humanitarian situation in the country, was just meters away but was unharmed.

Two individuals were reportedly killed in the strike, and according to the UN, a member of the crew of Ghebreyesus' plane was among the wounded.

According to the statement, the air traffic control tower and the departure lounge were both damaged.

On behalf of WHO, Tedros sent his condolences to the families whose loved ones lost their lives in the attack.