Yemen’s Hutí Government Prime Minister and several other ministers were killed in an Israeli strike over the Sanaa capital, the group-led news agency said on Saturday, citing a statement from the head of the Supreme Political Council Houthi, Mahdi Al-Manhat.
Several others were injured in the strike, carried out on Thursday, he said without providing details.
Israel said on Friday that the air attack had addressed the Chief of Cabinet of the group aligned in Iran, to the Minister of Defense and other senior officials and that he was verifying the result.
The news agency led by Houthi published a statement by the Minister of Defense shortly after confirming the death of the prime minister and quoted saying that the group was ready to face Israel.
The statement did not mention Thursday’s air attack and it was not clear if it was done before or after the attack.
Ahmad Ghalleb Al-Rahwi became Prime Minister almost a year ago, but the government’s de facto leader was his deputy, Mohamed Moftah, who was assigned on Saturday to carry out the duties of the prime minister.
Rahwi was largely seen as a decorative figure that was not part of the internal circle of Hutí leadership.
The Israeli army said that their combat planes had hit a compound in the Sanaa area where larger hutis figures had gathered, describing the attack as a “complex operation” possible thanks to the collection of intelligence and aerial superiority.
On Thursday, Israeli security sources said that the objectives had been several places where a large number of senior Hutí officials had gathered to see a televised speech recorded by the leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi.
Hutis aligned with Iran have attacked glasses in the Red Sea in what they describe as acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. They have also triggered missiles to Israel, most of which have been intercepted. Israel has responded with strikes in the Yemen areas controlled by Houthi, including the vital port of Hodeidah.
“We are still firm in our genuine support and position position with the people of Gaza, and in the construction and development of the capacities of our Armed Forces to face all the challenges and dangers,” said Mahdi’s statement Al-Mashat.
