Houthi militia leaders are now acknowledging the death of their top military commander, though the timing of his death has not been disclosed.
Maj. Gen. Mohammed al-Ghomari, the Houthi militia’s top chief-of-staff, was killed in what his compatriots called an “Israeli-American” airstrike.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took credit for the assassination on Thursday.
“The resolute hand of the State of Israel will reach everyone who aims to harm us,” Netanyahu’s office said. “Another chief-of-staff in the line of terror chiefs who aimed to harm us was eliminated. We will reach all of them.”
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the current highest-ranking Houthi politician, claimed that the militia will stand down following the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, but will recommence hostilities “should the Israelis return to their aggression, and the extermination of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, or in any other developments that require this stance.”
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later affirmed his nation’s responsibility, warning that the Israel Defense Forces “will do the same against any threat in the future as well.”
Ghomari’s death sparked outrage among Houthi supporters in Yemen, who took to the streets to honor the dead terrorist leader.
Maj. Gen. Yousef al-Madani, another high-ranking Houthi commander, was selected to replace Ghomari.
It’s only the latest known assassination in a long series of political executions carried out against Houthi targets in Yemen. Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi was assassinated by Israel in August alongside multiple Houthi ministers.
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Last month, Israel conducted a massive bombing campaign against “security and intelligence apparatus” infrastructure, dropping 65 munitions on seven targets.
Houthi general staff headquarters, its propaganda offices, and military camps were all struck in the attack.
It was framed as retaliation against a Houthi suicide drone attack on the Israeli resort town of Eilat, which injured 48 civilians — two seriously.
