Katz: What happened in Sana'a is just the beginning of the war with the Houthis

In a serious and unprecedented escalation, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened the Yemeni Houthi group, confirming that what Israel has recently done is nothing but "just the beginning," following a devastating airstrike that targeted senior leaders in the group, resulting in the death of the Houthi government's (not internationally recognized) Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Al-Rahawi and several of his ministers in the capital Sana'a last Thursday.

Katz stated in sharp remarks that "Israel dealt a crushing and unprecedented blow to senior Houthi leaders," adding that Tel Aviv will determine when this war ends, indicating that it will continue its operations against the Iran-backed group.

For its part, the Houthi group announced yesterday, Saturday, the death of its Prime Minister and several of his ministers as a result of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a routine workshop held at the government headquarters to evaluate annual performance.

Mahdi Al-Mashat, head of what is known as the "Supreme Political Council," confirmed that the group will avenge what he described as a "treacherous assassination," emphasizing that the response will be harsh, and that the confrontation with Israel will continue "in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza."

According to an official statement from the group, several ministers sustained injuries of varying severity and are currently receiving intensive medical care, without disclosing their exact number.

Media sources reported that among the dead:

• Hashim Ahmed Sharaf Al-Din – Minister of Information

• Hassan Abdullah Yahya Al-Saadi – Minister of Education

• Samir Bajalah – Minister of Social Affairs and Labor

Reports also mentioned the deaths of:

• Minister of Foreign Affairs

• Minister of Justice

• Minister of Youth and Sports

• Minister of Electricity and Energy

• Deputy Minister of Interior

• Mohammed Al-Kabsi – Director of the Prime Minister's Office

In light of this sudden leadership vacuum, the group announced the appointment of Mohammed Ahmed Muftah as acting head of government, confirming that government institutions will continue to operate without interruption.

This strike is the first publicly announced operation of its kind targeting senior leaders in the Houthi group, in a development that indicates a significant change in the rules of engagement between Israel and the Houthis, who some analysts compare to "Hezbollah in Yemen."

Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, the Houthis have been launching ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel, most of which have been intercepted, in addition to carrying out dozens of maritime attacks on commercial ships allegedly linked to Israel.

In response, Israel and the United States have carried out numerous airstrikes on Houthi sites, before Washington announced a temporary ceasefire months ago, while Israel confirmed the continuation of its operations against the Houthis.

The Israeli message is clear: targeting Houthi leaders is not a red line.

The killing of Al-Rahawi and several of his ministers opens a new phase in the regional confrontation, which may lead to a wider escalation in the Yemeni arena.

Will the Houthi group settle for a media response? Or are we on the brink of a direct military confrontation between Tel Aviv and Sana'a? Only the coming days will provide the answer.