SANAA, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's General Organization of Antiquities and Museums said in a statement on Wednesday that the U.S. airstrikes had destroyed the Al-Qishla castle, a prominent cultural landmark located on Mount Nuqum, east of the capital Sanaa.
According to the organization, the castle is "a unique cultural heritage" built by order of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II at the beginning of the 20th century. It suffered 15 airstrikes late Tuesday night, which destroyed large parts of its structure, residents and local media reported.
"The U.S. aggression is not only a war crime but also a flagrant violation of international agreements that criminalize the destruction of cultural heritage, such as the 1954 Hague Convention and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention," said the statement.
The statement called on "the United Nations and relevant international organizations to take urgent action to halt these violations, assume legal and moral responsibility for the blatant American aggression."
A total of 50 U.S. airstrikes hit multiple parts of Yemen on Tuesday night, including the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Sanaa, and the provinces of Amran, Dhamar, and Ibb. According to the latest update from local health authorities and media, the airstrikes on Hodeidah alone killed 12 people, including six women and four children.
The strikes also destroyed telephone network facilities in the provinces of Ibb and Amran, residents said.
On March 15, the U.S. military resumed airstrikes on northern Yemen, following Houthi threats to target Israeli-linked ships unless humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza.
Earlier on Wednesday, the health authorities in Sanaa said the civilian death toll in Houthi-controlled areas has risen to 107, with 223 others injured since the U.S. renewed its airstrikes on northern Yemen.
