Israeli airstrike kills Houthi rebel prime minister in Yemen’s capital

The Houthis announced Saturday, 30 August, that Ahmed al-Rahawi, the prime minister of their rebel-controlled government in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday, 28 August. He is the most senior Houthi official killed so far in the ongoing Israeli-US campaign against the Iranian-backed group.

According to the Houthi statement, al-Rahawi and several ministers were targeted during a government workshop reviewing annual performance. Some ministers were killed and others wounded. The strike coincided with a televised speech by Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, who was vowing retaliation against Israel and updating supporters on the Gaza conflict.

Three tribal leaders confirmed to the Associated Press that the strike hit a villa in Beit Baws, southern Sanaa, where senior officials had gathered.

The Israeli military later confirmed it had “precisely struck a Houthi terrorist regime military target,” killing al-Rahawi and other senior officials allegedly linked to “terror actions” against Israel.

Al-Rahawi, appointed prime minister in August 2024, was not part of the Houthis’ inner military circle but oversaw civilian administration in rebel-held areas. Originally from Abyan province, he was once allied with former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh before siding with the Houthis when they seized Sanaa in 2014.

The strike followed heightened hostilities. On 24 August, Israel struck Houthi-controlled oil and power facilities days after the rebels fired a ballistic missile carrying cluster munitions toward Israel — the first of its kind since 2023.

The US and Israel launched their air and naval campaign in response to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks on Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The rebels say the attacks are part of their support for Palestinians in Gaza. These operations have severely disrupted shipping through the vital waterway, which handles about $1 trillion in global trade annually.

US and Israeli strikes have killed dozens in Yemen. A US strike in April hit a prison holding African migrants in Saada province, killing at least 68 people.

Analysts say al-Rahawi’s killing marks a strategic shift. Ahmed Nagi of Crisis Group International described it as a “serious setback” for the Houthis, noting Israel has moved from targeting infrastructure to striking leadership figures, threatening the group’s command structure.

In May, the Trump administration announced a tentative deal with the Houthis to halt airstrikes in exchange for an end to shipping attacks. The rebels, however, insisted their operations against Israel-linked targets would continue.

With AP/PTI inputs