Funeral Held for Houthi PM Killed in Israeli Airstrike

Aden (Yemen), Sep 1 (AP) — Mourners in Yemen's capital, Sanaa, gathered on Monday to pay their respects to Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, who was killed last Thursday alongside several of his ministers and government officials in an Israeli airstrike.

The funeral, broadcast by the Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV from Shaab Mosque, saw intense emotions as crowds chanted slogans against Israel and the United States.

The slain officials included ministers from foreign affairs, media and culture, and industry. Families of the deceased arrived in ambulances, and the bodies were laid in caskets within the mosque, according to attendees Ahmed Khaled and Fathy Mahmoud.

Ahmed Azam, another attendee, expressed anger at the attack, stating, "We're participating in this funeral because Israel killed those officials, and that's enough reason to attend."

Al-Rahawi is the highest-ranking Houthi official to fall victim to the Israeli-US campaign against the Iran-backed group. Several other ministers were injured, though specifics were not disclosed.

The Houthi group indicated that their officials were targeted during a "routine workshop" intended to review governmental performance over the past year. Acting Prime Minister Mohamed Muftah, speaking at the funeral, highlighted the multifaceted nature of the conflict, which extends beyond military confrontations to economic spheres, though he reassured that ports remain operational with no shortages of food or fuel.

The conflict escalated following an August 24 missile launched by Houthis toward Israel, their first cluster bomb since 2023. In a related tension, Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for attacking an oil tanker off Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, asserting it had links to Israel. The vessel, Scarlet Ray, which flies a Liberian flag, is technically under Eastern Pacific, a company overseen by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer.

Despite the attack, Eastern Pacific confirmed that the vessel was undamaged and the crew remained safe. Meanwhile, the British military's UK Maritime Trade Operations center noted reports of disturbances near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis link their missile and drone offensives to the Israel-Gaza war, asserting their solidarity with Palestinians. This has disrupted Red Sea shipping, crucial for global trade, where attacks from November 2023 to December 2024 led to the destruction of over 100 vessels and eight fatalities.

Recently, the Houthis resumed attacks post a ceasefire prompted by US President Donald Trump's airstrike campaign. July saw the sinking of two vessels, resulting in further casualties, as the rebels continue their renewed attacks amid shaky ceasefire negotiations in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The future of US-Iran talks on Iran's nuclear program remains uncertain after Israel's 12-day war, during which the US bombed three nuclear sites.

Recent Israeli airstrikes have targeted Houthi leadership, triggering further hostility, including raids on UN agency offices on Sunday, resulting in the detention of at least 11 employees.

A UN official, requesting anonymity, reported difficulties in contacting staff in Houthi areas. The detained include both international and local personnel. Documents were seized from UN offices in an incident depicting the ongoing chaos. (AP)

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