Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed the assassination of the Houthi prime minister in Sanaa as a significant achievement, but reports indicate the mission was only a partial success. While the political leader, Ahmed Ghaleb Al Rahwi, was killed, the main target of the bombing—the group’s influential chief of staff—reportedly escaped unharmed.
Netanyahu lauded the operation as a “fatal blow” and warned of further actions, stating, “we will reach everyone.” The strike was retaliation for the Houthis’ campaign of launching missiles at Israel and attacking Red Sea shipping, which they justify as support for Palestinians in Gaza.
The killing of so many senior leaders in a single raid demonstrates Israel’s formidable and expanding intelligence reach. Before the Gaza war, Yemen was not a primary focus for Israeli intelligence, making this long-distance strike a notable development in its military capabilities.
Despite the high-profile casualty, the escape of the Houthi chief of staff means the group’s core military command remains intact. An Israeli think tank researcher, Yoel Guzansky, described the attack as impressive but cautioned that it likely won’t stop the missile attacks, as the “motivation of the Houthis” is the most difficult thing to change.