An Israeli airstrike killed the prime minister of the Houthi rebel-controlled government in Yemen's capital Sana'a. Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi died alongside several government ministers in the Thursday attack.
The ministers were gathered for a prerecorded speech by the rebel group's leader when the strike occurred. Other ministers and officials were wounded in the attack, though the Houthis provided no further details about casualties.
Iranian-backed government targeted
The Houthis are an Iranian-backed rebel movement that controls the government in Sana'a as part of Yemen's ongoing civil war. The targeted killing represents a significant escalation in Israeli operations against the rebel group.
The strike marks a high-profile assassination of Houthi government leadership during an official gathering. The attack demonstrates Israel's willingness to target senior political figures within the Iranian-backed administration.
Delayed confirmation
The airstrike took place on Thursday but the Houthis only confirmed al-Rahawi's death on Saturday. The rebel group issued a statement announcing the casualties without providing additional operational details.
The delay in confirmation suggests the Houthis were assessing the full impact of the strike on their government structure. The targeted nature of the attack during an official meeting indicates sophisticated intelligence gathering.
Sources used: "The Guardian", "Independent", "BBC"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
