Aerial assault carried out by Israel results in the death of the Houthi militant Prime Minister in Sanaa.
In a significant development, the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed Al-Rahawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday. The strike occurred during a "routine workshop" held by the Houthi-controlled government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year.
The strike took place while the Houthi-owned television station was broadcasting a speech by Abdul Malik Al-Houthi, the secretive leader of the militant group. According to a Houthi statement, the strike also resulted in the death of a number of ministers. Other ministers and officials were wounded, but further details were not provided.
Ahmed Al-Rahawi, who hailed from the southern province of Abyan, was appointed as prime minister in August 2024. He was an ally to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. However, he was not part of the inner circle around Al-Houthi that runs the military and strategic affairs of the group.
The Israeli airstrike on the villa in Beit Baws, southern Sana'a, which killed Ahmed Al-Rahawi, took place on August 27, 2022. The strike is part of the ongoing Israeli-US campaign against the Iranian-backed militants in Yemen.
The US and Israeli strikes against the Houthis began in response to the rebels' missile and drone attacks on Israel and on ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis targeted ships in response to the war in Gaza, saying they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians.
The Houthi militants control the Yemeni capital, Sanaa. Senior Houthi officials used to gather to watch Al-Houthi's pre-recorded speeches. Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst, called the killing of the Houthi prime minister a "serious setback" for the rebels, marking an Israeli shift from striking the rebels' infrastructure to targeting their leaders.
This is a developing story and more information will be provided as it becomes available.
