Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of the Houthi rebel-controlled government in Yemen, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Sana'a on Thursday, the Houthis have confirmed. Several ministers also died in the attack, with others wounded, according to a rebel statement released on Saturday.
The strike targeted a meeting of Houthi leaders in a villa in Beit Baws, a village in southern Sana'a. It occurred while rebel-owned television broadcast a prerecorded speech by the group's leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the strike as 'a crushing blow' against the Houthis, adding that 'this is only the beginning'.
Al-Rahawi, appointed prime minister in August 2024, was the most senior Houthi official killed since the US and Israel began their campaign against the rebels. The Houthis have launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war, disrupting a key trade route.
Analyst Ahmed Nagi of Crisis Group International called the killing a 'serious setback' for the Houthis, noting a shift in Israeli strategy from targeting infrastructure to targeting leaders. The Houthis have vowed revenge, with their political council head Mahdi al-Mashat warning foreign companies to leave Israel.
