In an Israeli airstrike that took place on Thursday in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, Ahmed al-Rahawi, prime minister of the government controlled by the Houthi rebels, was killed.
The news was confirmed on Saturday by the Houthis themselves through a statement in which it was also reported that several ministers died in the attack and others were injured. Among those killed were the Houthi chief of staff and the ministers of Economy, Justice, and Foreign Affairs of the terrorist regime.
The attack occurred while Houthi leaders were participating in a routine meeting to assess the government's performance over the past year. The villa where the meeting was held, in the historic village of Beit Baws, was a direct target of the bombing, according to three tribal leaders who spoke to the media and requested anonymity out of fear of reprisals.
La noticia del asesinato de al-Rahawi fue confirmada por los mismos hutíes
The attack coincided with the broadcast of a speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, who was speaking about the situation in Gaza and promising reprisals against Israel. Meetings to watch his speeches were usually moments when high-ranking Houthi officials gathered, which would have made it easier for the Israeli military to identify the target.
The Israeli military stated on Thursday that it had carried out a "precise strike against a military target of the Houthi terrorist regime in the Sana'a area," although it made no comment after the death of the prime minister became known.
This operation represents a shift in tactics by Israel, moving from attacking infrastructure to directly eliminating key figures in the rebel leadership.
Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthis' Supreme Political Council, vowed revenge: "We promise God, the dear Yemeni people, and the families of the martyrs and wounded that we will retaliate." He also issued a warning to foreign companies based in Israel to leave the country "before it is too late."
Los líderes hutíes prometieron una dura venganza contra israel
Al-Rahawi, an ally of former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, joined the Houthis when they took Sana'a in 2014, which marked the beginning of the civil war in Yemen. He was appointed prime minister in August 2024.
His assassination makes him the highest-ranking Houthi official killed since the United States and Israel launched their air and naval campaign against the rebels in response to missile and drone attacks against Israel and ships in the Red Sea.
The conflict has intensified over the past two years, after the Houthis launched a series of attacks against commercial and military vessels, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. In August, the Houthis launched a ballistic missile with a cluster warhead against Israel, the first of its kind since 2023, according to Israeli authorities.
Despite the bombings, the Houthis have maintained their defiant stance. In May, the administration of Donald Trump announced an agreement with the rebels to halt airstrikes in exchange for an end to attacks on ships. However, the Houthis stated that such an agreement did not mean giving up attacks on targets linked to Israel.
Los yemeníes incumplieron varias promesas realizadas al presidente Trump
