The National Museum of Yemen in central Sanaa was badly damaged by Israeli airstrikes, local authorities said, urging the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to intervene to help protect the building and its antiquities.
Israel launched airstrikes on several sites across Yemen's capital Sanaa and al-Jawf province in the north, both Houthi-held areas, on Wednesday afternoon. The Houthi propaganda agency, located in the centre of the capital city, was one of the primary targets of the airstrikes according to officials.
The area, where the agency is situated, is the most densely populated part of Sanaa, containing residential buildings, commercial districts and a large number of ancient buildings, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Old City of Sanaa.
Many ancient buildings, shops, residences and vehicles were severely damaged in the airstrikes. The National Museum of Yemen, which is just across the wall from the Houthi propaganda agency, was not spared either.
According to the museum authorities, the airstrikes caused damage to the wooden doors of the museum's exhibition hall, rendering them unable to open. The museum authorities cannot temporarily access the interior of the museum to assess the situation, making it unclear what damage has occurred to the artifacts.
"As you can see, the National Museum of Yemen and the Old City of Sanaa have been damaged. We have called on the UNESCO and hope to, through the media, appeal to all those around the world who care about culture and civilization that the cultural relics of Yemen are an inseparable part of human civilization," said Ibad Al-Hayal, head of the museum.
The museum houses a significant collection of precious relics dating back more than 2,000 years, representing the remains of multiple civilizations of ancient Yemen over the past 3,000 years. There are concerns that some of these valuable collections may have been destroyed or lost.
"Most of the artifacts collected here can be traced back to the 3rd century BC to the 9th century BC. This museum is a treasure not only for Yemen, but also for all humanity," said Al-Hayal.
Over the past decade, Yemen's archaeological heritage has faced repeated looting, smuggling, and destruction due to war and instability. Amid the current escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the ongoing standoff between Israel and the Houthi forces, Yemen's historical artifacts are at an even greater risk.
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