Latest: Houthi Prime Minister killed in Israeli strike
Houthi military chief of staff Mohammad Al Ghamari, the target of an Israeli strike on Thursday, vowed retaliation for Israel's attacks in Sanaa.
In a statement published by Houthi media outlet Saba, he said Yemen will not stop its support for Gaza, "regardless of the scale of targeting or sacrifices required".
The Houthis began launching drones and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and on Israel after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, in what they say is a campaign in support of the Palestinian territory.
"The Zionist escalation in Gaza or against Yemen is not a sign of strength but rather evidence of the enemy's failure to achieve its objectives over the past two years," the statement on Saturday read.
Israeli media reported that a ballistic missile was launched from Yemen on overnight but fell short, citing military officials.
Israel said its strikes on Thursday were also aimed at Houthi Defence Minister Mohammed Al Atifi and it was assessing whether it had succeeded in killing him.
Mr Al Atifi has overseen attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, while Israel previously tried to assassinate chief of Mr Al Ghamari in June.
Leaders of the Iran-backed militia dismissed the strikes as “failures”.
Chairman of the Houthis' supreme political council Mahdi Al Mashat called the reports that the defence minister and the military chief of staff were killed “fake news”, saying the strikes were “failures and will remain failures, and our long arm will teach them the necessary lesson”, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported.
The air strikes came after Israel intercepted two drones launched from Yemen on Thursday, and a missile a day earlier.
