Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has confirmed the death of its self-declared prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi, in an Israeli airstrike on the capital city of Sanaa earlier this week.

According to a statement from the Iran-backed group, Rahawi was killed alongside several senior officials on Thursday when Israeli fighter jets targeted a high-level gathering in the area. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later said it had “eliminated” Rahawi and other senior figures within hours of receiving actionable intelligence on their whereabouts.

While the Houthis did not release the names of other fatalities, Saudi broadcaster al-Hadath reported that the group’s foreign minister, along with the ministers of justice, youth and sports, social affairs, and labour, were also killed in the strike. The office of Houthi President Mahdi al-Mashat confirmed that several other top officials were injured, some critically.

In the wake of the attack, Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ahmed Miftah has been appointed to assume Rahawi’s role. Rahawi, who took office in August 2024, was largely seen as a ceremonial figurehead, with real power remaining concentrated around the group’s supreme leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Key military leaders, including the defence minister and chief of staff, were reportedly not present at the targeted location.

The IDF said it is continuing to assess the overall outcome of the operation.

The Houthis have controlled large parts of northwestern Yemen since 2014, following their ousting of the internationally recognised government from Sanaa — a move that ignited a brutal, years-long civil war. In recent months, the group has intensified its attacks against Israel, including missile and drone launches, and has targeted commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

In retaliation, Israel has carried out a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled regions. Just last week, the IDF reported hitting multiple sites in Sanaa after the Houthis launched missiles allegedly carrying cluster munitions.

Although Rahawi’s death marks one of the Houthis’ highest-profile losses in recent months, the group’s core leadership structure remains largely unscathed.