Israeli airstrike reportedly causes the death of Yemen's rebel-allied prime minister in government-held territory
In a significant development, Yemen's Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rawahi was killed alongside other ministers in a strike on the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on Thursday. The Iran-backed Houthi militant group announced the death of al-Rawahi on Saturday.
The strike occurred during a government workshop, and an oil facility controlled by the rebels in Sanaa was also targeted. The Israeli military confirmed that al-Rawahi was eliminated in the strike, along with additional senior officials of the Houthi regime.
Al-Rawahi served as prime minister of the Houthi-led government since August 2024, replacing former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's ally. His death marks the most senior Houthi official to be killed since the U.S. and Israel began their air and naval campaign.
The Houthis have a history of firing missiles at Israel, and this strike came three days after they launched a ballistic missile toward Israel. The group frames their attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping as part of an allied defense of Palestinians in Gaza. The first such missile launched at Israel since 2023 was on Aug. 21.
Following al-Rawahi's death, Houthi President Mahdi Al-Mashat appointed Mohammed Ahmed Ahmed Muftah as acting prime minister. Muftah is now the current Prime Minister of the Houthis.
The Aug. 24 strike was directed at an oil facility owned by Yemen's main oil company. U.S. strikes, including one in April, have resulted in significant casualties, such as the death of at least 68 people and wounding of 47 others in a prison holding African migrants in the northern Sadaa province.
This unfortunate event adds to the ongoing conflict in Yemen, which has been marked by instability and violence for several years. The international community is closely monitoring the situation and calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
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