Israeli strike on Yemen's capital kills Houthi prime minister

The IDF confirmed Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in a strike on the Yemen capital
|REUTERS
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the Houthi prime minister had been 'eliminated'
Don't Miss
Most Read
Trending on GB News
The prime minister of Yemen's Houthi government was killed in an Israeli strike earlier this week, the group has said.
The rebels confirmed Ahmed al-Rahawi died in the strike on the country's capital of Sanaa on Thursday alongside several other ministers.
Head of the group's supreme political council, Mahdi al-Mashat, said others were left wounded but did not provide further details.
The Houthis have played a key role in the Yemen civil war, having seized control of Sanaa in 2014.
They are not a proscribed terrorist group in the UK but are designated as a terror group by other countries including the United States.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement today that the Houthi prime minister had been "eliminated".
"Houthi Prime Minister, Ahmed Al-Rahawi, along with additional senior officials of the Houthi terrorist regime were eliminated during an IDF strike in Sanaa, Yemen, it wrote to X.
"At the facility struck were senior officials responsible for the use of force, the military buildup of the Houthi terror regime, and the advancement of terror actions against Israel.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Ahmad al-Rahawi became head of the group around a year ago
|REUTERS
"The IDF will continue to target all threats against Israeli civilians."
Mr Rahwi became prime minister around a year ago but the de facto leader of the government was his deputy, Mohamed Moftah, who was assigned on Saturday to carry out the prime minister's duties.
He was seen largely as a figurehead who was not part of the inner circle of the Houthi leadership.
Since Israel's war in Gaza against the Palestinian militant group Hamas began in October 2023, the Houthis have attacked vessels in the Red Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.
Mr Rahawi was killed in an Israeli strike on Sanaa, Yemen, earlier this week
|REUTERS
They have also frequently fired missiles towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted.
Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the vital Hodeidah port.
During the last year, Israel carried out a series of assassinations targeting senior leaders and commanders of Hamas and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, significantly weakening both groups.
The Houthi-run news agency Saba ran a statement from Defence Minister Mohamed al-Atifi shortly after the prime minister's death was confirmed and quoted him as saying the group was ready to confront Israel.
The statement did not mention Thursday's airstrike and it was unclear if it was made before or after the attack.
Mr Atifi runs the Houthis' Missiles Brigade Group and is considered their leading missiles expert.
On Thursday, Israeli security sources had said the targets had been various locations where a large number of senior Houthi officials had gathered to watch a televised speech recorded by leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
The Israeli military described the attack as a "complex operation" made possible by intelligence-gathering and air superiority.
"Our stance remains as it is and will remain until the aggression ends and the siege is lifted, no matter how great the challenges," Mr Mashat said in a televised speech, adding that the group "shall take revenge".