Israel’s deadly strike kills Houthi prime minister as Yemen vows brutal revenge
By isabelle // 2025-09-01
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  • Israel launched a precision airstrike on Sanaa, killing Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and multiple senior officials in an unprecedented escalation.
  • The Houthis vowed a devastating response, promising revenge and vowing to turn their wounds into victory against Israel and its U.S. backers.
  • Israel’s Defense Minister invoked biblical plagues, signaling a shift from infrastructure strikes to targeted assassinations of Houthi leadership.
  • This strike mirrors Israel’s past decapitation strategy against Hamas and Hezbollah, but the Houthis, hardened by years of conflict, show no signs of backing down.
  • The assassination risks further destabilizing the region, as the Houthis have historically retaliated with missile strikes, Red Sea attacks, and defiance against U.S. and Israeli aggression.
The Middle East’s powder keg is getting hotter after Israel launched a precision airstrike on Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, killing Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and multiple senior officials in an unprecedented escalation that has sent shockwaves through the region. The Houthis, never ones to back down, are now promising a "devastating" response, ensuring this conflict won’t be confined to Gaza for much longer. The Houthis confirmed al-Rahawi’s death in a statement, revealing he and "several of his ministerial colleagues" were targeted during a government workshop evaluating their performance. Israeli media, citing anonymous security sources, claimed intelligence suggested ten senior Houthi officials, including the defense minister, were gathered near Sanaa for a speech by Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) believed they had wiped out the entire Houthi cabinet in one blow.

A biblical warning

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz didn’t mince words after the attack, invoking biblical plagues to send a message: "As we warned the Houthis in Yemen: After the plague of darkness comes the plague of the firstborn." The reference to the Ten Plagues of Egypt was no accident; it was a signal that Israel is escalating from infrastructure strikes to targeted assassinations of top leadership, just as it has done with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad. This marks a strategic shift. Until now, Israel had focused on military sites and infrastructure such as power plants, fuel depots, and the presidential palace. But Thursday’s strike was different. It was a direct hit on the political heart of the Houthi regime, and it worked—at least partially. The Houthis, however, aren’t folding. Instead, they’re doubling down. Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthis’ Supreme Political Council, declared in a video statement: "We promise to God, to the dear Yemeni people and the families of the martyrs and wounded that we will take revenge and we will turn the wounds into a victory." The Houthi defense minister, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Nasser al-Atifi, reinforced the defiance, stating the group is ready "at all levels to confront the U.S.-backed Zionist enemy."

Why this strike matters more than past attacks

The Houthis have been a thorn in Israel’s side for years, firing missiles at Tel Aviv, disrupting Red Sea shipping, and vowing to keep fighting until Israel ends its war in Gaza. But until now, Israel’s strikes in Yemen had been largely ineffective—costly, yes, but failing to deter the Houthis from their campaign. This time, Israel went for the leadership decapitation playbook it perfected against Hamas and Hezbollah. Last year, Israel assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Two months later, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in Beirut. In Gaza, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was taken out, and his brother Mohammed was likely killed just days ago. Now, the Houthis are next in line. The question is: Will this work? The Houthis have survived a decade of Saudi-led bombings, economic blockades, and U.S. airstrikes. They’ve shut down global shipping lanes, downed American drones, and kept firing missiles at Israel despite the odds. If history is any guide, this strike may only make them more dangerous. The Houthis have one playbook: retaliate harder. After past Israeli strikes, they’ve fired ballistic missiles at Tel Aviv, attacked U.S. drones, and seized commercial ships in the Red Sea. How much further will this go now that their prime minister is dead? Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com CNN.com AlJazeera.com
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