Breaking: Israeli Airstrike in Yemen May Have Killed Houthi Chief of Staff | WATCH

Israeli jets launched a series of powerful strikes on Sana’a Thursday, hitting Houthi strongholds as the group’s leader delivered a televised speech. Saudi media reported 11 separate strikes targeting facilities where senior Houthi figures were hiding. Defense Minister Israel Katz hinted at assassinations of key commanders: “As we warned, the Plague of Darkness is followed by the Plague of the Firstborn. Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will see it cut off.”

The strikes came just days after the Houthis launched ballistic missiles toward Israel, all of which were intercepted by the IDF. According to Saudi outlet Al-Hadath, Israeli aircraft struck the “Hadda” neighborhood in southwest Sana’a, focusing on compounds sheltering senior Houthi operatives.

Israel’s Message: No Safe Haven for Terror Leaders

The timing was no accident. As Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi bragged on television about arming missiles with advanced warheads, Israeli jets pounded the capital.

Al-Houthi claimed the Houthis had successfully equipped their “Palestine-2” ballistic missile with separable warheads, calling it an “extraordinary success that alarms the Zionist enemy.”

Defense Minister Katz’s biblical warning underscored Israel’s message: targeted eliminations are firmly on the table.

Strategic Targets Destroyed

The IAF also struck Yemen four days ago targeted military infrastructure including:

• The presidential palace compound, serving as a command hub.
• Al-Asar and Al-Hizzaz power stations, converted by the Houthis into military assets.
• Fuel storage depots used for military operations.

According to the IDF, “These attacks strike directly at the military backbone of the Houthi regime. Once again, the terrorists use civilian infrastructure for war — turning power stations into weapons.”

Veteran journalist and news analyst Hallel Biton-Rosen said, "[Today's operation was] the most significant and dramatic strike in Yemen to date: If we succeeded in taking out senior figures, we are changing the rules of the game here" (Channel 14).

Today's operation was closely monitored by Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via a secure line. The Houthis reported two deaths and 35 injuries via their affiliated TV channel, while Al-Hadath noted that the presidential palace compound houses a Houthi missile launch base. The IDF emphasized that the strikes aimed to disrupt the group’s military production and logistics.

A senior security Houthi official told the Yemeni news agency that Israel struck “civilian sites” in Sanaa, dismissing claims of military targets as “a desperate attempt to mask its failures.” (Osint)

Israeli security sources told Reuters that the Sanaa airstrike focused on a large number of senior Houthi figures. According to the sources, the officials were targeted across multiple locations within a matter of minutes, signaling a highly coordinated operation.

One of the strikes reportedly hit a room where senior Houthi leadership, including the defense and interior ministers and other high-ranking officials, were present alongside the group’s leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. At this time, neither the Houthis nor Israel has confirmed whether the strikes successfully eliminated these Houthi leaders.

Israel named the operation 'A drop of Luck.'

The current assessment is that the Houthi Chief of Staff and Defense Minister were eliminated. This has not been independently verified.

The Bigger Picture: Israel vs. Iran’s Proxy Network

Israel’s strike sends a warning far beyond Yemen. The Houthis, funded and directed by Iran, have fired dozens of missiles at Israel since October 7. Their leader’s boasting about “Palestine-2” ballistic missiles is another attempt to prove relevance in Iran’s proxy war.

Yet the message from Jerusalem is clear: whether in Gaza, Lebanon, or Sana’a, anyone targeting Israel will face the full force of the IDF.