The agency said that its convoy of three vehicles carrying eight staff members was struck by 16 bullets near the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, causing no injuries. The convoy was clearly marked and had received prior security clearances from Israeli authorities, the WFP statement said.


Meanwhile, The UN' Yemen mediator arrived in Yemen's capital on Monday as part of a bid to subdue heightened tensions in his first visit in almost two years, a Spokesperson said.

The trip comes amid intensified Israeli and United States strikes on Houthi strongholds in the past two weeks in response to the Iran-backed militants launching missiles and drones towards Israel. The strikes disrupted operations at Sanaa International Airport, Hodeidah and Saleef ports, which are the main aid entries.

The Iran-aligned Houthis have controlled most parts of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since seizing power during 2014 and early 2015. They are playing an escalating role in the Middle East in a campaign aimed at supporting Palestinians in the Gaza war.

The UN mediator Hans Grundberg aims to "improve the environment for resolution of the conflict (and) prepare the ground for concrete actions for advancing the peace process" in a series of national and regional meetings in the coming days, his Spokesperson Ismini Palla told Reuters.



--Reuters--