Yemen’s Houthi movement said Saturday that Israeli airstrikes killed Ahmed al-Rahawi, prime minister of their rebel-controlled government, during a cabinet workshop in the capital, Sanaa.
The Houthis announced al-Rahawi’s death in a statement:
“We declare the martyrdom of the fighter Ahmed Ghalib al-Rahawi, prime minister in the Government of Change and Construction, along with a number of his fellow ministers.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed a “precise strike” on a Houthi military target in Sanaa, stating that al-Rahawi and “additional senior officials of the Houthi terrorist regime” were eliminated.
Context and consequences
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Ahmed al-Rahawi had led the Houthi-run “Government of Change and Construction” since August 2024.
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His deputy, Mohammed Ahmed Muftah, has been appointed acting prime minister.
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The strike reportedly took place during a meeting of senior officials in Sanaa.
Analysts say al-Rahawi’s death is the highest-level killing of a Houthi leader since Israel and the U.S. began their air and naval campaign in response to rebel missile and drone attacks.
Broader implications
The Houthis have launched repeated strikes on Israel and Red Sea shipping routes, presenting their campaign as part of the wider defense of Palestinians in Gaza. In response, Israel has shifted toward targeting the group’s leadership rather than only its infrastructure.
