Yemen’s Houthi movement has confirmed that an Israeli air strike carried out last Thursday in the capital, Sanaa, killed the group’s de facto prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi, along with several senior ministers.
In an official statement released Saturday, the Houthis announced that al-Rahawi was attending a workshop with members of his cabinet when the attack struck. While the exact number of casualties among the ministers was not disclosed, the group described the incident as a significant loss to their leadership.
“We shall take vengeance, and we shall forge from the depths of wounds a victory,” said Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Supreme Political Council and a senior political and military figure within the movement. His comments were delivered in a video message broadcast later in the day.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, describing the target as a “Houthi terrorist regime military site.” The operation is part of an ongoing campaign against the Iran-aligned group, which has launched repeated drone and missile attacks against Israel and international shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The Houthi-controlled presidency also issued a statement via its media outlet, Al Masirah, mourning the loss of al-Rahawi and vowing continued resistance.
Israel has intensified its military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen in recent months, amid growing regional instability fueled by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Tensions remain high as both sides signal further escalation.
