Aerial assault by Israeli forces results in the death of the Houthi rebel prime minister in the Yemeni capital

In a significant development, the Israeli military confirmed that it struck a Houthi terrorist regime military target in the area of Sanaa in Yemen on Thursday, resulting in the death of the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi.

Al-Rahawi, who hailed from the southern province of Abyan, allied himself with the Houthis when they overran Sanaa and much of the north and centre of the country in 2014. His government was responsible for running the day-to-day civilian affairs in Sanaa and other Houthi-held areas.

The strike targeted a meeting for Houthi leaders in a villa in Beit Baws, an ancient village in southern Sanaa. The other involved Houthi leaders killed in the raid included Saleh al-Samad and key commanders such as Abdul-Malik al-Houthi's close aides; however, specific names beyond this are not publicly confirmed.

Ahmed al-Rahawi was appointed as prime minister in August 2024. He was an ally to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and had been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause. Following an Israeli strike last week, al-Rahawi had stated, "Yemen endures a lot for the victory of the Palestinian people."

The killing of Ahmed al-Rahawi is the most significant loss for the Houthis since the US and Israel began their air and naval campaign in response to the rebels' missile and drone attacks. The strike took place while the rebel-owned television station was broadcasting a speech by Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the rebel group.

The Houthis have launched a campaign targeting ships in response to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, aiming to show solidarity with the Palestinians. However, their attacks over the past two years have disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, causing approximately $1 trillion of goods to be affected each year.

The US and Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of dozens of people, including at least 68 people in a prison holding African migrants in the northern Sadaa province in April. This incident sparked international condemnation and calls for an investigation.

Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst, described the killing of the Houthi prime minister as a "serious setback" for the rebels. The future of the Houthi-controlled government in Yemen remains uncertain in the wake of this significant loss.