A UN plane with humanitarian aid workers has arrived this morning in the Yemeni capital, Sana, for the first time since Saudi-led coalition closed all Yemeni ground, air and sea ports, Reuters reported citing the spokesman of the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
The Sanaa airport officials have confirmed that two other humanitarian flights had landed in Yemen on Saturday.
1.9 million doses of vaccines have reached #Sanaa Airport this Sat morning.
— SaadAbedine (@SaadAbedine) November 25, 2017
Many thanks to @UNICEF, @ICRC, @WFP, @UN & every1 who supported this cargo to #Yemen
For more details, please follow @gcappelaere, @relanomeritxell, @JulietteTouma
Help raise awareness pic.twitter.com/vR5Fjk5z0c
The Saudi-led coalition spokesperson said that permits were issued for humanitarian aid naval shipments as well, however, officials at the port reported on Saturday that no ships have yet arrived.
1.9 million doses of vaccines have reached Sanaa this Saturday morning. Many thanks to all that have supported this essential cargo!!!
— Meritxell Relano (@RelanoMeritxell) November 25, 2017
Humanitarian aid deliveries have been resumed after Saudi authorities informed the UN on Friday that they would allow civilian flights operated by the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to arrive in the Yemeni capital beginning Saturday.
READ MORE: UN Chief Guterres Calls For Cessation of 'Stupid' Saudi-Yemeni War
On November 6, Saudi Arabia imposed a blockade on Yemen as a response to a missile launch from its territory in a bid to prevent the transfer of military goods to the Houthis, as the kingdom accused Iran of supplying Yemeni rebels with short-range ballistic missiles.
READ MORE: NGOs Join UN Call to Lift Saudi-Led Blockade Threatening Yemen With Starvation
Yemen has been engulfed in a bitter conflict between the government and Houthi rebels supported by the army loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh since 2015, with a coalition backed by Saudi Arabia conducting an aerial operation in the country at the request of incumbent President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.