Houthi Prime Minister Killed in Israeli Strike

Reports from Yemen suggest Israel has scored one of its most high-profile hits in the war against the Houthis. According to al-Jumhouria, a newspaper aligned with Yemen’s rival government, Houthi Prime Minister Ahmad al-Rahwi was killed Thursday in Israeli airstrikes on the capital, Sana’a. The Houthis themselves have yet to confirm his death, but regional outlets are already calling the strike a “decapitation attempt” on the movement’s leadership.

The reported assassination was not a matter of chance. Israeli military sources told media that the strike followed a carefully crafted deception campaign, designed to lull Houthi commanders into believing Israel had no intelligence on their whereabouts. Instead, Israeli surveillance had pinpointed senior figures gathering in the city, just as Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi delivered a televised address.

Defense Minister Israel Katz hinted at targeted assassinations, dubbing the strike a “Plague of the Firstborn.” He warned: “Whoever raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off.”

Saudi channel al-Hadath said the strikes hit multiple compounds in the Hadda district, where senior Houthis had taken shelter. Within minutes, several leaders were reportedly encircled by the bombing campaign.

The operation comes amid escalating missile fire from Yemen, all intercepted by Israel’s air defense. Just days earlier, Israeli jets struck the presidential palace and major power stations in Sana’a, knocking out electricity across swathes of Yemen.