On Saturday (March 26), United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned airstrikes on civilian, energy facilities of Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemned the recent escalation of the conflict in Yemen, including the Houthis’ aerial attacks on civilian and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia on Friday, and the subsequent Coalition airstrikes in Sanaa, reportedly killing eight civilians, including five children, two women and a man,” said spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

It was noted that the recent airstrikes has caused damage to the UN staff residential compound, situated in Sanaa.

“The Secretary-General is seriously concerned by reports of continuous airstrikes in Hudaydah city, targeting of Hudaydah’s ports, which constitute a vital humanitarian aid for Yemen’s inhabitants. To guarantee accountability, the Secretary-General demands for a prompt and transparent investigation into these occurrences,” it further stated.

It was worth noting that the conflict is now in its eighth year, Guterres reaffirmed his calls for all parties to exercise maximum restraint, immediately deescalate, cease hostilities, and the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.

He urged all parties to work constructively with his special envoy, without preconditions, to minimise violence and achieve a diplomatic settlement to end the crisis as soon as possible.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure on Friday.

One attack targeted the state oil corporation – Aramco’s oil storage facility, setting two storage tanks on fire.

Following the bombings, the Saudi-led coalition launched a military offensive in Yemen, which included rebel-held Sanaa and al-Hudaydah’s Red Sea port city.

The operation’s goal, according to the coalition, is to “defend global energy sources” by stopping strikes on Saudi oil facilities.

Since 2015, when Iran-aligned rebels overran parts of Yemen, including Sanaa, the Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis.

According to the UN estimates, the eight-year conflict has resulted in one of the world’s biggest man-made humanitarian crises, with about 80 percent of the country, or roughly 30 million people, is in the need of humanitarian aid and protection, and more than 13 million are in danger of hunger.