World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been suffering from tinnitus since he and his team were caught up in an Israeli air strike in Yemen, the top global health official said on Wednesday.
“I am okay, but I have developed tinnitus (ringing in my ears) from the loud explosion. I hope it will be temporary,” 59-year-old Tedros wrote on X after his return to Geneva.
Israel’s air force bombed the airport in the Yemeni capital Sana’a last Thursday as the WHO director-general’s team was about to board their flight after talks in the city.
According to Tedros, one of the crew members was injured and the control tower, departure hall and runway were damaged.
The WHO delegation was in Yemen to negotiate the release of detained UN staff.
“We knew this mission would be risky,” wrote Tedros, adding that they went for the sake of UN colleagues who have been held by the Houthi militia since 2021.
The “constructive” talks were interrupted, postponed or cancelled several times due to drone flights overhead, according to Tedros.
The Israeli military said it had attacked Houthi militia infrastructure in Yemen, including targets at the international airport in Sana’a.