Daijiworld Media Network - Sanaa
Sanaa, Aug 30: Yemen’s Houthi group confirmed on Saturday that its de facto Prime Minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the capital Sanaa earlier this week, marking the most high-profile loss for the group since its involvement in the Gaza war escalated in 2023.
According to a statement released by the Houthis, al-Rahawi — head of the Houthi-backed “Government of Change and Construction” — died alongside several ministers during a cabinet workshop held on Thursday. The group also said several others were injured and are currently receiving treatment, but did not provide an exact number of fatalities.
Initially, the Houthis had denied any casualties from the airstrikes. However, they now describe the attack as a targeted strike by Israeli warplanes on a government facility in southern Sanaa, where ministers were reportedly gathered to watch a speech by Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi on the Gaza conflict.
Israel has claimed responsibility for what it called a “significant operation,” saying it targeted key leadership figures of the Houthi political establishment amid the group’s ongoing missile and drone assaults on Israel and Red Sea shipping lanes.
This airstrike represents a serious blow to the Houthi leadership, who have vowed retaliation “very soon,” reiterating their support for the Palestinian cause.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched repeated attacks against Israel and international vessels in the Red Sea, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. These attacks prompted joint Israeli and US-led strikes on Houthi-controlled regions, including Sanaa and the port city of Hodeidah.
Earlier in the week, Israeli raids across Sanaa killed at least 10 people and injured over 100, according to Houthi health authorities. The capital’s airport was also rendered non-operational by Israeli strikes in May.
The Houthis seized control of Sanaa in 2014 and have since ruled northern Yemen, establishing their own government and forcing the internationally recognised administration into exile. Despite global non-recognition, the group continues to function as the de facto authority in large parts of the country.
In May, the US reportedly brokered a deal with the Houthis aimed at halting attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. However, the rebels maintain that this agreement does not limit their operations against what they call Israeli-linked targets.