Multitudes gather for funeral of Houthi leaders slain by Israeli air raid, express determination for retaliation
The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group, have been launching attacks on vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinians since Israel's war in Gaza against Hamas began in October 2023. This escalation of violence has drawn US and Israeli strikes.
The latest attack occurred during a significant moment, as a large number of people were watching a televised speech recorded by the top Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi. The attack resulted in the deaths of several senior Houthi figures, including the prime minister, Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahwi, and the cabinet members.
Following the attack, Mohammed Miftah, who had previously been al-Houthi's deputy, emerged as the de facto head of the Iran-aligned government in Sanaa. Miftah vowed revenge and an internal security crackdown against spies following the funeral for the 12 senior Houthi figures.
The current Defense Minister of the Huthi government in Sanaa remains unclear, as Israeli airstrikes reportedly targeted the Houthi Defense Minister along with other top officials. The fate of the Defense Minister, Mohamed al-Atifi, remains unclear since the attack on Thursday.
Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis, has been a thorn in Israel's side and one of Iran's most prominent Arab allies. He has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and has used the attacks on Red Sea vessels as a way to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
The Houthis have given no reason for the raid but they have held a number of Yemeni employees of the UN and other aid agencies in the past on suspicion of spying. A raid on the United Nations offices in Sanaa on Sunday led to the detention of at least 11 UN personnel.
In May, President Donald Trump announced the US would stop bombing the Houthis after a brief campaign, as the group had agreed to halt interrupting important shipping lanes in the Middle East. However, the Houthis have continued their attacks on Israeli-linked shipping, vowing to continue attacking Israel.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for launching a missile towards the Liberia-flagged Israeli-owned tanker 'Scarlet Ray' ship near Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port city of Yanbu on Monday. The attack underscores the escalating tensions in the region and the ongoing conflict between the Houthis and Israel.
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