Houthi Prime Minister Killed in Israeli Airstrike

The conflict in the Middle East intensified after an Israeli airstrike struck Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killing Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi-controlled government, along with several ministers and senior officials. The strike hit a villa in Beit Baws where a government workshop was being held. At the time, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi’s speech was being broadcast on television.

Following the attack, senior Houthi leader Mahdi al-Mashat declared that the group would retaliate, calling al-Rahawi a martyr and urging foreign companies to leave Israel. The funeral in Sanaa drew thousands of mourners who denounced Israel and its allies.

Israeli officials described the strike as a major blow against the Houthis, emphasizing that this marked the beginning of a campaign aimed at dismantling their leadership. Analysts noted that Israel’s shift from targeting infrastructure to striking at the command structure shows an escalation in strategy.

In response to the killing, the Houthis detained multiple United Nations personnel during raids on UN offices in the capital, signaling growing hostility toward international institutions. The rebels also fired a missile at an Israeli-owned tanker in the Red Sea, though no casualties were reported.

Two days later, the Houthis confirmed al-Rahawi’s death and named Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ahmed Miftah as acting prime minister, signaling continuity in their political leadership even as tensions in the region continue to rise.