After Yemen Airstrikes, Israel Moves Cabinet to Secure Site | Houthis Vow Retaliation

Israel Strikes at the Heart of the Houthi Regime

Israel confirmed that its Air Force launched a precision strike in Sana’a, Yemen, late Thursday night, targeting a high-level gathering of senior Houthi officials. Intelligence sources indicate that both political and military leaders were present, including the Houthi prime minister Ahmed al-Rahwi, who was killed in the strike. Early reports suggest the group’s Chief of Staff was also among the casualties, though his condition is still being verified.

The strike came after multiple missiles were launched from Yemen toward Israel in recent days, all intercepted by the IDF. Defense Minister Israel Katz, who has repeatedly warned of harsher reprisals, responded cryptically: “As we said before — after the Strike of Darkness comes the Strike of the Firstborn. Whoever raises a hand against Israel will have that hand cut off.”

Houthi Threats of Retaliation

In an interview with Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen, senior Houthi figure Mohammed al-Bukhaiti accused Israel of crossing “every red line” by striking the movement’s leadership. He declared that retaliation was inevitable:

“There is no avoiding revenge for the deaths of our martyrs. We will respond to escalation with escalation. The Zionist entity will pay the price for every crime, whether in Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, or Syria.”

Al-Bukhaiti further warned that the conflict had entered “a new phase,” vowing that Houthi actions would follow words. His statement underscores fears that the Houthis, already heavily backed by Iran, may seek to intensify their attacks across the region.

Cabinet Convenes in Secure Facility

Against this backdrop, Israel’s government ministers and security cabinet received early-morning instructions to gather in a fortified, undisclosed location. The move comes amid heightened concerns of potential Houthi retaliation, coordinated attacks from Iran’s regional proxies, or escalation on multiple fronts.

Security sources stressed that the strike was carried out with “fast-closing operational intelligence,” targeting a rare concentration of top Houthi leaders. Officials emphasized that many of those eliminated were directly responsible for force buildup, terror plotting against Israel, and coordination with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The IDF confirmed the strike destroyed infrastructure used to plan and direct attacks against Israel. “This opportunity was seized with speed and precision. The IDF will continue to act decisively to remove every threat to the citizens of Israel, in Gaza, Yemen, or anywhere else,” the army said in a statement.

While the Houthis confirmed casualties, they attempted to downplay the damage by focusing on alleged civilian harm. Yet the targeted strike clearly disrupted their command structure. By eliminating al-Rahwi and possibly the group’s Chief of Staff, Israel has demonstrated both reach and resolve, signaling that no Houthi leader is safe, even deep inside Yemen’s capital.

Regional observers described the operation as a “game-changer,” noting that it is rare for Israel to strike directly at the top leadership of Iran’s allied militias outside Lebanon or Gaza. The move underscores Israel’s determination to dismantle the so-called “Axis of Resistance” that stretches from Tehran to Beirut, via Yemen.

Israel now braces for the Houthis’ response, with threats of revenge already circulating. Meanwhile, the elimination of key Houthi leaders could either weaken the group’s ability to operate or push it toward even riskier escalations under Iranian pressure.

Either way, Israel has shown it will not hesitate to take bold action far beyond its borders to neutralize threats. With its government convening in secure facilities, the country is clearly preparing for the possibility that this strike marks the beginning of a wider confrontation.