An eyewitness on Friday recalled the moments of horror as Israeli airstrikes hit the Sanaa International Airport and Houthi targets across Yemen one day earlier.
On Thursday, Israel launched its fourth attack on Yemen, targeting civilian facilities at the Sanaa International Airport in the Yemeni capital city, including the control tower, passenger terminal and runway. The strikes also hit the Haziz power station in Sanaa, a vital infrastructure at the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the Ras Issa oil terminal, and the Ras Khatib power plant, causing severe damage to Yemen's infrastructure.
"I was there during the air strikes. We were seeing off travelers heading to Jordan when we heard the sound of bombardment inside the airport. My family members and I, along with two other families, were there. We felt that it was safe at the airport, but still I had to send my children to the car. When we reached it, we found out that the car was damaged," said Hassan Mohsen, an eyewitness of the Israeli airstrikes.
A press conference was held Friday on the tarmac of the Sanaa International Airport, where officials condemned the recent Israeli airstrikes, calling them a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. They stated that the strikes disrupted public life in the capital and across Yemen. Despite this, airport authorities announced the resumption of operations, affirming their readiness to handle any potential Israeli escalation.
"There are two types of losses at the airport. Direct losses include damage to the control tower, terminal halls, and some equipment. There are also casualties, with most of them being civilians, including travelers and those seeing them off. Some airport staff members were also injured," said Khaled Al-shaif, director of the Sanaa International Airport.
In a new escalation, Yemen's Houthi group on Friday announced drone attacks targeting the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and a vessel named Santa Ursula near Yemen's Socotra Island in the Arabian Sea. They said that the targets were hit accurately.
The attacks were in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes.
Eyewitness recalls horror of Israeli air strikes on Sanaa airport in Yemen
Homegrown snow gear and facilities are now helping resorts across China provide better services to skiers who are expecting domestic brands to roll out more high-quality and thoughtful products that fit better with habits of Asian users.
The rising demand of Chinese skiers is boosted by a growing market with industry reports predicting that the country's ice and snow economy will surpass 1 trillion yuan (about 140 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025.
Since hitting the slope is no longer a niche sport, resorts across China receive an increasing influx of snow enthusiasts. In particular, the Beidahu Ski Resort, one of the best destinations for skiers in northeast China's Jilin Province, is welcoming up to 10,000 snow enthusiasts daily.
Eleven of the 13 cable cars in the resort were designed and produced in China. Running six meters per second, it takes only 12 minutes for them to carry the skiers up to the mountaintop.
"As wind resistance and speed of the cable cars were significantly improved, their quality almost matches the imported products," said Yan Shuai, marketing director of the Beidahu Ski Resort.
Homegrown snowboards made with carbon fiber and protective gear featuring high-tech fabrics are also winning Chinese customers' favor and many of the updated goods are specially designed for Asian users.
"The ski goggle has three layers of sponge padding, which help it fit better with the faces of Asian users and effectively minimize lens fogging during skiing," said Jia Xiaona, a store manager.
As winter sports become increasingly popular in China, domestic brands are receiving increasing anticipation from skiers who believe that it is quality that will finally help homegrown products to win over customers.
"I think many snowboarders feel that Chinese brands need to deliver standout performance to truly impress. Once they do, confidence in these brands will certainly grow. I think the shift will take some time, because we have relied on imported snowboards for so many years," said Li Jiongxuan, a snowboarder from north China's Tianjin Municipality.
Homegrown snow gear, facilities help improve skiing experience in China