Yemen’s Houthi movement has confirmed that its prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, was killed in an Israeli air strike on the capital, Sanaa, earlier this week. The attack also killed several other senior officials, according to statements from both the Houthis and the Israeli military.
The Houthis announced on Saturday that al-Rahawi, who had served as prime minister in Houthi-held territories since August 2024, died in Thursday’s strike. His death was described as part of a broader targeting of Houthi leaders while attending a workshop in the city.
Israeli officials said the operation was carried out “within a few hours” of receiving intelligence on the gathering, and that the strike “eliminated” al-Rahawi and other members of the Houthi administration. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was still assessing the full impact of the attack.
The Houthis did not provide an official list of casualties, but Saudi outlet al-Hadath reported that the group’s foreign minister and ministers for justice, youth and sports, social affairs and labour were among the dead. The office of Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, said several other ministers had sustained moderate to severe injuries.
In a video message released later on Saturday, al-Mashat vowed retaliation. “We shall take vengeance, and we shall forge from the depths of wounds a victory,” he said.
The Houthis said deputy prime minister Muhammad Ahmed Miftah would assume al-Rahawi’s role. Analysts have described the slain leader as more of a symbolic figure within the group, with real decision-making power held by the movement’s leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi and its military command. Neither Abdul-Malik, the defence minister, nor the chief of staff were reported to be among the casualties.
The strike is the latest escalation in the confrontation between Israel and the Houthis, an Iran-aligned movement that has controlled much of north-west Yemen since 2014. Since Israel’s war with Hamas began in Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have regularly launched missiles and drones at Israel and targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians.
In response, Israel has carried out repeated air strikes on Houthi-controlled territory. Last week, Israeli forces said they targeted Houthi sites in Sanaa after a missile attack involving cluster munitions.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 63,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive nearly two years ago. The Houthis have presented their regional attacks as part of broader opposition to Israel’s campaign.
The killing of al-Rahawi is expected to intensify tensions. On Saturday night, crowds gathered in Sanaa for a funeral procession, chanting slogans against Israel and the United States.
(HT)