Houthis officers carry the coffin of Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi during the funeral procession. Image: Osamah Abdulrahman/AP Photo/picture alliance.
(The Post News) – On Monday, over a thousand people in Yemen attended the mass funeral for 12 senior Houthis leaders, including the prime minister, who died in an Israeli strike last Thursday.
On Thursday, reports emerged that the majority of Yemen’s Iran-aligned cabinet were killed in an Israeli airstrike while gathered in Sanaa to watch a televised address recorded by top Houthis leader, and Palestinian ally Abdul Malik al-Houthi. On Friday, Israel confirmed that they had indeed carried out the airstrike and meant to target the Houthis’ chief of staff, defence minister, and other senior leaders.
Several Senior Houthis Official Remain Alive
Despite the deaths of several senior officials, including Prime Minister Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahwi, Abdul Malik al-Houthi remains alive. The status of Defence Minister Mohamed al-Atifi, commander of the Missiles Brigades Group, is unknown, leaving it unclear whether he is hiding as part of a strategy or was killed in the attack.
At the largest mosque in Sanaa, mourners gathered to pay their respects, chanting the Houthis slogan: “God is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.”. Acting head of the Houthi government Mohammed Miftah, former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahwi, promised retaliation and announced a crackdown on internal espionage.
On Sunday, Houthi fighters raided United Nations offices in Sanaa, detaining 11 U.N. personnel. Media reports suggest the employees were held on suspicion of espionage, a practice the Yemen group have carried out repeatedly in the past, though Houthis authorities have yet to officially confirm the action.
At the funeral, acting Houthi leader Mohammed Miftah identified the “U.S. administration, the Zionist entity, and the Zionist Arabs” as potential spies and intelligence operatives targeting the government. Thereby drawing a distinct line between the allies and enemies.
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