Houthi Prime Minister Killed in Israeli Airstrike
Teh Iranian-backed Houthis’ prime minister has been killed in an Israeli air strike in the yemeni capital, Sanaa, the rebel group has confirmed.
Ahmed al-Rahawi was killed in a Thursday strike in Sanaa along with several ministers, the rebels saeid in a statement on Saturday.
Others were wounded in Thursday’s strike, president of the supreme Political Council of Yemen Mahdi al-Mashat added, without providing details.
Israel said on Friday local time that the air strike had targeted the Iran-aligned group’s chief of staff, defense minister adn other senior officials and that it was verifying the outcome.
The israeli military said on Thursday that it “precisely struck a Houthi terrorist regime military target in the area of Sanaa in Yemen”.
protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, have been demonstrating in Sanaa over the past few days too show support for Palestinians in Gaza. (Reuters: Stringer)
Al-Rahawi was targeted along with other members of his Houthi-controlled government during a routine workshop held by the government to evaluate its activities and performance over the past year, the rebels’ statement said.
He became prime minister about a year ago but the de facto leader of the government was his deputy, Mohamed Moftah, who was assigned on Saturday to carry out the prime minister’s duties.
Al-Rahawi was seen largely as a figurehead who was not part of the inner circle of the Houthi leadership.