Sanaa (Yemen): In a major escalation, the Houthi rebel movement has confirmed that its self-declared Prime Minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the capital city of Sanaa. The strike, which targeted a government workshop attended by senior officials, also claimed the lives of key ministers from the justice, youth and sports, social affairs, and labor departments.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the attack was based on “precise intelligence” regarding the presence of top Houthi leadership, aimed at disrupting continued missile and drone assaults on Israel as well as attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This marks the first Israeli operation to eliminate senior Houthi political leadership, signaling a sharp escalation of the conflict.
Rahawi, who assumed office in August 2024, was regarded more as a symbolic political appointee than a military strategist. Following his death, deputy prime minister Muhammad Ahmed Miftah has been named his successor.
The strike underscores intensifying hostilities in the region, as the Iran-backed Houthis have stepped up missile launches against Israel and maritime targets, drawing a series of Israeli retaliatory campaigns across Houthi-held Yemen. Analysts warn the development could widen the war front beyond Gaza, drawing deeper regional entanglements in the Middle East.