TEHRAN – Israeli airstrikes have damaged Yemen’s National Museum in the capital Sanaa, shattering windows and doors and raising concerns over the safety of its collection, Houthi officials and local archaeologists said.

The Houthi-run culture ministry said the strikes were part of attacks on Sept. 10 that killed more than 45 people and wounded 165 across Sanaa and the northern province of Al-Jawf, The Art Newspaper reported.  

Footage published by the Associated Press showed debris scattered across the museum’s courtyard, with broken windows, doors and banners depicting its collection lying in the plaza.

“The damage extended to the museum’s main hall, where a number of artefacts and photographs are on display, as well as to the museum’s doors, windows and storage rooms,” Amida Sholan, an archaeologist and professor at Sanaa University, told The Art Newspaper.

Sholan, speaking from outside Yemen, said she had not confirmed whether artefacts were damaged but warned that structural damage could leave the building vulnerable. “Our greatest concern at the moment is the risk of looting, especially since all of the doors and windows have been completely destroyed,” she said.

The National Museum, originally opened in 1971, houses tens of thousands of objects, including pre-Islamic artefacts, manuscripts and sculptures. It reopened to the public in May 2023 after a decade-long closure during Yemen’s war.

The Old City of Sanaa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located nearby, does not appear to have been damaged. UNESCO said it suspended activities in Houthi-controlled areas after four of its staff were detained and remains unable to verify heritage damage.

AM