Israeli defense minister threatens to assassinate Houthi leader, raise flag over Sanaa

By Abderaouf Arnaout and Ikram Kouachi

JERUSALEM / ANKARA (AA) - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Friday threatened to assassinate Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Houthi group, and to raise Israel’s flag over the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.

In a statement on the US social media company X, Katz said: “Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, your turn is coming. You will be sent to meet your government and all members of the cowardly ‘axis of evil’ waiting in the depths of hell,” referring to the assassination of the Houthi government’s Prime Minister Ahmed Ghalib al-Rahawi and several ministers in an attack on Sanaa on Aug. 28.

The Houthi flag “will be replaced by Israel’s blue-and-white flag,” he added.

On Aug. 28, an Israeli airstrike in the Yemeni capital Sanaa killed 12 top Houthi officials, including Prime Minister Rahawi and several other ministers.

Houthis have launched attacks on Israel using missiles and drones, targeting ships linked to or heading toward Israel. The group says its strikes are in retaliation for Israel’s ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023.

The Israeli offensive has killed more than 65,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, while displacing hundreds of thousands and causing famine that has claimed the lives of at least 435 Palestinians, including 147 children.