Israel Targets Houthi Leadership
Israel has successfully eliminated the chief of staff of Yemen’s Houthi military, marking a significant setback for the Iran-aligned group that has disrupted shipping in the Red Sea for nearly two years.
Mohammed al-Ghamali died due to injuries from an Israeli airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen’s capital, in late August, as confirmed by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz in a statement to the BBC. This incident also resulted in the deaths of the Houthi prime minister and several other government ministers. Tragically, Ghamali’s 13-year-old son, Hussein, was also killed in the strike.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked, “Another chief of staff, part of a lineage of terrorists intended to harm us, has been removed. We reach everyone.”
The Houthis took control of northwestern Yemen about a decade ago, which ignited a severe civil conflict. Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the Houthis escalated attacks on both Israeli and international vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, claiming their actions are in support of Palestinians.
According to reports, al-Ghamali, who was appointed in 2016, was instrumental in developing the Houthis’ missile technology and weapon production. It was said that he trained under Hezbollah in Beirut in 2012 and received training from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on him due to his role in weapons deployment in Yemen and orchestrating strikes against Saudi targets.
Katz shared on social media that Ghamali has now joined “the thwarted Axis of Evil comrades in the depths of hell.”
The Houthis have acknowledged the loss of many “great martyrs,” including both civilians and military personnel, during what they describe as an American and Israeli invasion. They have promised that the conflict will persist and warned that Israel will face consequences for its actions.
Since the ceasefire in Gaza took effect last week, Israel has not recorded any Houthi attacks.
