In a significant escalation of the regional conflict, the Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi-run government has been killed in an Israeli precision airstrike on the capital, Sanaa, a senior Houthi official confirmed on Saturday, IgbereTV reports.
The strike, which took place on Thursday, also resulted in the deaths of several other ministers and left a number of individuals wounded, according to Mahdi al-Mashat, the head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council. Al-Mashat did not provide further specific details on the casualties.
The Israeli military stated on Friday that the airstrike targeted a meeting of high-ranking Houthi officials, including the group’s chief of staff and defence minister. Israeli officials confirmed the strike was aimed at the Iran-aligned group’s leadership and stated they were in the process of “verifying the outcome” of the operation.
This attack marks the first time Israeli strikes have successfully killed senior governmental figures within the Houthi administration, significantly raising the stakes in the ongoing hostilities between Israel and the militant group. The Houthis have been a persistent threat to international shipping in the Red Sea, launching numerous drones and missiles at vessels in what they claim is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
The assassination of such high-level officials is expected to have major repercussions on the dynamics of the conflict and the power structure within Houthi-controlled territories.
