Sanaa, Yemen – August 30, 2024 – A recent Israeli airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen, resulted in teh deaths of Ahmad Ghalib Al-Rahwi, Prime Minister of the Houthi-led Government of Change and Construction, and several other cabinet ministers, according to Houthi officials.The strike, which occurred last Thursday, marks a significant escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
The targeted killing of high-ranking Houthi leaders comes as the group continues to launch attacks against Israel and commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, actions they claim are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This direct targeting of the Houthi leadership signals a potential shift in Israel’s strategy, moving beyond strikes on infrastructure to directly dismantle the group’s command structure. The incident raises concerns about further regional instability and the potential for retaliatory attacks.
While the Israel Defense forces (IDF) has not yet issued a public statement regarding the strike, Israeli media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported Friday that the operation was specifically aimed at the entire Houthi cabinet, with Prime Minister Al-Rahwi and 12 other ministers as targets. this follows a previous airstrike on August 24 that reportedly killed 10 people and injured over 90, according to local health authorities.
Since the start of the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis have consistently fired missiles toward Israel and disrupted maritime traffic in vital waterways. These actions have prompted a series of Israeli airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas within Yemen. The Houthis are a Zaidi Shia Muslim group that controls much of northern Yemen and has close ties to Iran.
According to Al Jazeera’s hamdah Salhut, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has stated that israel will continue to target Houthi assets, asserting that previous strikes in Yemen have not been sufficient to deter the group’s attacks. Gallant reportedly indicated a desire to replicate tactics used against other regional groups, such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad, by targeting Houthi leadership thru assassinations. Salhut added that Gallant stated he “wanted to target their leadership similar to what Israel has done with assassinations within other political groups across the region.”
The number of casualties resulting from Thursday’s airstrike remains unconfirmed. The situation remains fluid, and further developments are expected as the conflict continues to unfold.