Prime Minister of Yemen Killed in Israeli Air Strike
- Haley Brown
- 14 hours ago
- 3 min read
BY: HALEY BROWN/STAFF WRITER
An Israeli airstrike in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, has killed the prime minister of the Houthi-controlled government, Ahmed Ghaleb al-Rahawi. The strike also killed several of his cabinet ministers, marking one of the most significant escalations since Israel’s war with Hamas began in October 2023. The strike took place on Thursday, August 28th, 2025, and was confirmed by the Houthis in a statement released on Saturday the 30th.
The Houthis, an Iran-aligned armed movement that has ruled much of northern Yemen since 2014, confirmed the death of al-Rahawi and announced that Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Miftah had been appointed as acting premier. Funeral processions were held in Sanaa on Monday, September 1st, 2025, where thousands gathered to mourn.
Israel said the strike was part of its ongoing campaign against Houthi missile and drone launches directed at Israeli territory and commercial shipping routes in the Red Sea. Military spokespersons claimed that the operation targeted not only al-Rahawi but also top military officials, including the Houthis’ defense minister and chief of staff, though it has not been confirmed whether those figures were among the dead.
The missile strike hit while Houthi officials were gathered for what was described as a “government workshop” to assess the administration’s performance over the past year. Several ministers and advisers were killed instantly, while others were seriously wounded. Reports from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies noted that those confirmed dead included the Youth and Sports Minister, the Director of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Cabinet Secretary.
Al-Rahawi was viewed as more of a political figurehead than a central power broker. Real authority within the Houthi movement has long rested with its leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, and a circle of senior military commanders. Regardless, the blow of killing the group’s appointed prime minister cannot be understated, as political analysts said. “Targeting the cabinet is different from striking a weapons depot or a drone launch site,” said one Middle East researcher. “It signals a willingness to go after the political core of the Houthis.”
Within hours of the strike, Houthi forces announced that they had fired missiles at an Israeli-owned tanker in the Red Sea. While the vessel did not reportedly sink, the attack underscored how quickly the incident escalated beyond Yemen’s borders. Abdul-Malik al-Houthi delivered a televised speech condemning Israel and promising “a harsh and painful response.”
Despite the Houthis’ swift acknowledgment of their leader’s death, several key details remain unclear. Independent verification of casualties is difficult given Yemen’s limited media access and the control the Houthis exert over the capital. It is still unclear whether Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi was killed, as some reports say he was badly wounded instead.
The presence and fate of other senior commanders have not been confirmed. Most accounts describe a single strike on a government compound, but some local sources have suggested that multiple sites were hit, a claim that has not been verified.
Another lingering question is how much the deaths will actually affect Houthi governance. Al-Rahawi’s role, though formally that of head of government, was largely ceremonial. Real decision-making power resides with the group’s political bureau and military leadership. Still, analysts warn that removing multiple ministers at once could disrupt bureaucratic functions and deepen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, which already affects millions of civilians.
The strike is likely to harden Houthi resolve and intensify hostilities in the Red Sea and beyond. It also raises the risk of a wider confrontation between Israel and Iran-backed factions across the region.
For Israel, the operation may be seen as a tactical success, but one that could invite fresh waves of drone and missile attacks. For Yemen, long mired in civil war and humanitarian disaster, the assassination of its de facto head of government adds another layer of instability.
Whether the attack marks a one-off escalation or the beginning of a sustained campaign against Houthi leadership remains uncertain. What is clear is that the death of Ahmed al-Rahawi has opened a new and dangerous chapter in a conflict that already spans multiple countries and threatens international shipping lanes.