SANAA — The Houthis announced Saturday that an Israeli airstrike killed the prime minister of their rebel-controlled government in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, along with several ministers.

The Houthis said Ahmed al-Rahawi, who had served as prime minister of the Houthi-led administration since August 2024, was killed Thursday when Israeli warplanes struck a building in Sanaa during a government workshop to review the past year’s activities.

The Israeli military confirmed Thursday it had “precisely struck a Houthi terrorist regime military target in the area of Sanaa,” but did not immediately comment on the claim that al-Rahawi was among those killed.

The Houthis have escalated attacks against Israel during its war with Hamas in Gaza, repeatedly launching missiles and drones toward Israeli territory and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea.

While most of the projectiles are intercepted or break up mid-air, the group has vowed to continue the strikes in what it calls solidarity with the Palestinians.

Earlier this week, Israeli strikes pounded multiple areas of Sanaa, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 100, according to the Houthi-run health ministry.

In recent months, Israel and a U.S.-led coalition have expanded strikes on Houthi-controlled areas, including the capital and the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

The Sanaa airport was knocked out of service by Israeli attacks in May.

In May, the Trump administration announced a deal with the Houthis to end airstrikes in return for halting attacks on shipping. But the Houthis said the agreement did not cover their continued targeting of Israel or what they view as Israeli-aligned interests. — Agencies