Houthi Prime Minister assassinated in Israeli air raids over Yemen's main city

In a significant development, Israeli airstrikes knocked out Sanaa airport and resulted in the death of Iran-backed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi in Yemen's capital on Thursday. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) confirmed striking a Houthi terrorist regime military target in the area of Sanaa.

Al-Rahawi, who came to power following Israeli attacks on Sanaa, was reportedly killed in his Sanaa apartment during the airstrikes. The IDF has accused the Houthis of targeting Israel and undermining regional stability and global freedom of navigation.

The Houthis, a Yemeni militia group, control most of Yemen's northwestern region, including the Red Sea coast and the capital Sanaa. They have been operating under Iranian direction and funding, according to the IDF. The group has regularly launched missiles and drones toward Israel and targeted ships in the Red Sea during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

In response to Houthi attacks, Israel and a United States-led coalition have been pounding areas in Yemen held by the group with heavy strikes for months. The Trump administration announced a deal with the Houthis to end the strikes in return for an end to attacks on shipping in May. However, the group said the agreement did not include halting attacks on targets it believed were aligned with Israel.

Several of al-Rahawi's associates were also killed in the same strike, according to Yemeni media reports. The Houthis have not yet announced a replacement for the slain prime minister. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli military Chief of Staff General Eyal Zamir, approved the strikes. Katz warned the Houthis that whoever raises a hand against Israel will suffer consequences.

The Houthis have been targeting Israel for some time now, and the Sanaa airport was knocked out of service by Israeli strikes in May. The ongoing conflict in Yemen, fueled by the Houthis and their Iranian backers, continues to pose a significant threat to regional stability and global security.