Israeli Air Force Wipes Out Houthi Leadership in Yemen

Israeli Air Force (IAF) strikes in Sana’a, Yemen, last week resulted in the confirmed death of the Houthi regime’s prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, alongside several senior officials, Houthi authorities acknowledged on Saturday.

The Sana’a strike, part of an operation dubbed “Lucky Drop,” targeted a building in the Bait Bous neighborhood where al-Rahwi and other senior Houthi figures, including the head of the political bureau, justice minister, economy minister, agriculture minister, information minister, and foreign minister, were gathered to watch a speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

Israeli intelligence estimated that the Houthi defense minister and chief of staff, Mohammed al-Umari, who survived a prior assassination attempt in June, were not among the casualties.

According to Open Source Intel, new reports show that Muhammad Nasser al-Atifi, the Houthi Defense Minister, was critically wounded in Thursday’s attack.

According to the Defense Line website, the Houthi Chief of Staff was injured and is hospitalized in critical condition

The IAF, guided by precise intelligence, deployed at least ten munitions using stealth tactics to strike the target, which was one of several Houthi sites hit, including bases near the presidential palace, the Hadda neighborhood, and a military facility at Jabal Attan, according to Yemen’s Al-Jumhuriya channel and Aden Al-Ghad newspaper.

Multiple Arab media outlets report that several top officials in Yemen’s Houthi government were killed in the same airstrikes.

According to Al Arabiya and Saudi outlets, among the dead are the Houthi ministers of justice, foreign affairs, labor and welfare, energy and water, youth and sports, as well as senior aides to the Houthi prime minister, including the deputy Interior Minister. In addition, the head of the Political Bureau, the Agricultural Minister, the Finance Minister and the Minister of Information were killed. Some say as many as 50 people were killed in the strikes.

Sources say the strike targeted multiple locations simultaneously, aiming to decapitate Houthi leadership.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz underscored the operation’s intent, stating, “As we warned the Houthis: after the strike of darkness comes the strike of the firstborn. Whoever raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off.”

He added, "The day before yesterday, we delivered an unprecedented decisive strike against the top military and political leadership of the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, in a bold and brilliant operation by the IDF.

The Houthi Prime Minister, most of his ministers, and other senior officials were neutralized and harmed.

I warned that after the strike of darkness comes the strike of the firstborn and now we have fulfilled that warning.

Yemen’s fate is like Tehran’s and this is only the beginning. The Houthis will learn the hard way that anyone who threatens and attacks Israel will be hit sevenfold and they will not decide when it stops.

We will continue to pursue an offensive policy across all theaters with a clear and unmistakable message: ‘He who rises against you, rise against him first.’”"

The IDF stated:

"On Thursday, August 28, 2025, Israel Air Force fighter jets, guided by precise intelligence from the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate, struck a facility in Sana’a, Yemen, where dozens of senior military and political leaders of the Houthi terrorist regime were gathered.

Among those present was the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahwi, who was eliminated in the strike alongside other senior figures in the Houthi terror government. The targeted infrastructure hosted key officials responsible for directing military operations, advancing the Houthi regime’s armament efforts, and promoting terrorist activities against the State of Israel, as well as other high-ranking Houthi leaders in critical roles.

The operation, enabled by a rapid intelligence opportunity and swift operational execution within hours, reflects the IDF’s precision and resolve. An ongoing assessment is evaluating the strike’s outcomes, including the potential presence of additional senior military commanders.

The IDF remains steadfast in its mission to neutralize any threat to Israeli citizens, as demonstrated in ongoing operations in the Gaza Strip and other arenas."

The strikes followed recent Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Israel, which were intercepted by the IDF.

The wave of targeted killings marks one of the most significant blows to Houthi leadership in recent years, with regional observers noting the precision of the coordinated operation.

The Houthis are not taking any chances: They have put a new rule in place limiting ministers meeting together in the future, and their supreme leader Al-Houthi is hiding in mountain bunkers.

They have also reportedly threatened Israel (not for the first time), saying, "“We say to the Zionists: Dark days await you because of the actions of your government,” as reported by Israel Realtime.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said, "We strongly condemn the Zionist entity’s terrorist assault on Yemen that claimed the life of the Prime Minister. We call on the international community and Islamic nations to take urgent action to curb this rogue entity.”

In a parallel operation on Saturday, the IDF, in coordination with the Shin Bet and Southern Command, targeted a senior Hamas operative in northern Gaza City, with assessments pointing to Abu Ubeida, a key figure in the group’s propaganda efforts. A successful strike would represent a major blow to Hamas’s operational and psychological warfare capabilities.