funeral for assassinated prime minister by Houthi rebels following Israeli attack
In a dramatic turn of events, the Houthi rebels held a funeral for the prime minister and 11 other senior officials who were killed in an Israeli airstrike last week. The deceased officials were targeted during a government meeting in Sana'a, marking the highest profile assassination in Yemen in months.
The funeral, held at al-Shaab mosque in Sana'a, saw twelve coffins draped in flags being displayed. The deceased prime minister, Abdul Aziz bin Habtour al-Rahawi, was from the southern province of Abyan, not under Houthi control.
The Houthi rebels have traditionally reserved the role of prime minister for southerners in an attempt to win hearts and minds. However, this strategy seems to have failed in this instance, as the airstrike has sparked outrage and tension in the region.
US-based Yemen analyst Mohammed al-Basha suggested that this strike might signal an Israeli shift toward targeted killings, similar to previous actions against Hamas and Hezbollah leadership. Al-Basha went on to say that the attack could mark "the beginning of a campaign of targeted assassinations against both civilian and military Houthi leadership, even at informal gatherings."
The Houthis have responded by arresting dozens of people in Sana'a and other areas on suspicion of collaborating with Israel. Additionally, they have launched missiles and drones toward Israel throughout the Gaza war, with one missile landing close to the Liberian-flagged Scarlet Ray.
The US waged an intense bombing campaign against Houthi targets from March to May, but no direct link between the US and the Israeli airstrike has been established. It is worth noting that the US-based Yemen analyst who mentioned the possibility of an Israeli campaign targeting civilian and military Houthi leadership is not explicitly named in the provided search results. No source directly identifies a Yemen analyst from the US discussing this specific scenario.
The situation has escalated further with the Houthis detaining at least 11 UN workers on Sunday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has protested this detainment, adding to the international concern over the situation in Yemen.
In a bizarre twist, the Israeli military intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory on Monday. As the situation continues to unfold, the potential for further escalation remains high.
