"I swear to God, to the dear Yemeni people, and to the families of the dead and wounded that we will take revenge," Mehdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthi supreme political council in Yemen, declared on 30/8.
He also warned foreign companies to "leave Israel before it is too late".
The Houthi group earlier said that Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, head of the Houthi administration in the capital Sanaa and referred to by the group as "prime minister," and several other senior political leaders were killed by Israel. Others sustained moderate to serious injuries and are receiving treatment.
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A large fire after Israel's airstrikes on several areas in Yemen's capital Sanaa on 24/8. Photo: AFP |
A large fire after Israel's airstrikes on several areas in Yemen's capital Sanaa on 24/8. Photo: AFP
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed carrying out airstrikes on targets in Yemen's capital Sanaa on 28/8, following intelligence reports that about 10 Houthi cabinet officials were gathered at a location to hear a speech by leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Israel's Channel 12 reported on 29/8 that the IDF assessed the entire 13-member Houthi cabinet may have been killed.
Al-Rahawi, who headed the Houthi administration in Sanaa since August 2024, was last seen publicly on 27/8 attending an event in Sanaa. He is the highest-ranking Houthi official killed in Israeli attacks since the Gaza conflict erupted.
Israel has previously targeted Yemeni infrastructure such as ports and power stations. This airstrike marks a shift in focus towards assassinating senior enemy personnel. "This is an escalation that could shake the core of the Houthi leadership," analyst Mohammed Al Basha said.
The Houthis are a Shiite Muslim armed group that emerged in Yemen in the 2000s to challenge former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled the country from 1990 until his resignation in 2012. In 2014, the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, ousting the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and forcing him into exile.
The group is part of Iran's "axis of resistance," a coalition of anti-Israel armed groups across the Middle East.
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip began in October 2023, Houthi forces have repeatedly launched missiles and drones into Israel in solidarity with Hamas. Most Houthi attacks have been intercepted, but several ballistic missiles have penetrated Israel's multi-layered air defense system, causing damage.
Huyen Le (AFP, Al Arabiya)
