Yemen Houthi Military Chief Dies from Wounds in Israeli Airstrike

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The chief of staff of Yemen’s Houthi rebel military, Maj. Gen. Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, has died from wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike conducted in August, Houthi officials confirmed on Thursday. His death marks a significant development in the widening regional implications of Israel’s military operations and comes as a fragile ceasefire continues to hold in Gaza.

Al-Ghamari, one of the most senior military figures within the Houthi leadership and sanctioned by both the United Nations and the U.S. Treasury, was targeted in an Israeli air campaign aimed at neutralizing threats emanating from Yemen.

In a televised statement, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed al-Ghamari’s death, calling it “another blow to the axis of evil.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also weighed in, stating: “We will reach all of them. Another terror chief who sought to harm us has been eliminated.”

While Israeli officials hailed the strike as part of a broader effort to deter regional militancy, Houthi authorities offered few specifics about the circumstances of al-Ghamari’s death. A brief statement from the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency acknowledged his passing, noting that his 13-year-old son Hussain and several unidentified companions were also killed in the attack. The statement did not specify the date of the strike.

“His pure soul ascended while he was in the course of his jihadi work,” the statement read.

Al-Ghamari’s Role in Regional Conflict

Al-Ghamari played a central role in the Houthi military command structure, orchestrating the group’s operations across Yemen and beyond. He was widely seen as the strategic mind behind attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Houthi drone and missile campaigns that targeted Israeli interests in recent months.

The U.S. Treasury, which sanctioned al-Ghamari in 2021, accused him of overseeing military actions that devastated civilian infrastructure and led to cross-border strikes. He was also alleged to have received training from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

“As head of the general staff of the Houthi armed forces, al-Ghamari directly oversaw military operations impacting civilians and regional stability,” the Treasury said at the time.

Israel’s military echoed those sentiments, labeling al-Ghamari as being responsible for “hundreds of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli civilians.”

Succession and Future Implications

Following al-Ghamari’s death, the Houthis announced that Maj. Gen. Yusuf Hassan al-Madani would take over the role of chief of staff. Al-Madani, like his predecessor, is under U.S. sanctions for his involvement in military campaigns, particularly in the strategically important Red Sea port city of Hodeida.

While the group has yet to indicate how it will respond to the strike, analysts warn that the assassination could provoke retaliation, especially given the symbolic and strategic loss of such a high-ranking figure.

The death also raises questions about the Houthis’ ability to sustain their military leadership amid ongoing regional tensions. It remains unclear whether al-Ghamari was killed in the widely publicized Israeli airstrikes on August 28, which also eliminated Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, or in a separate, less-documented operation.

Calm in Gaza, Turmoil in Red Sea

The timing of al-Ghamari’s death announcement coincides with a ceasefire that took effect in Gaza on October 10, halting months of bloody conflict. However, the Houthis have previously stated that their attacks on shipping and Israel were directly linked to the war in Gaza. Since the ceasefire began, there have been no new Houthi strikes on Israel or commercial vessels.

Still, the group’s past maritime assaults have wreaked havoc on global trade. At least nine mariners have been killed, four commercial ships sunk, and shipping through the Red Sea disrupted — a route through which an estimated $1 trillion in goods passed annually before the conflict.

The most recent attack occurred on September 29, when a Houthi strike hit the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht, killing one crew member and injuring another.

Mounting Pressure on Aid Workers

Meanwhile, the Houthis have come under intense scrutiny for detaining dozens of employees from UN agencies and humanitarian groups, accusing them — without evidence — of espionage.

In a televised address Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi claimed foreign aid agencies were infiltrated by “dangerous espionage cells,” citing the World Food Program and UNICEF. The United Nations has vehemently denied these allegations.

“The accusations are extremely disturbing,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. “Calling UN staff spies or terrorists puts their lives at risk — it’s unacceptable.”

Regional Ramifications

Al-Ghamari’s death may further complicate the fragile geopolitical balance in the Middle East, particularly as Israel widens its regional focus beyond Hamas and Gaza. The assassination of a figure as prominent as al-Ghamari suggests a shift in Israeli strategy toward proactively targeting threats from afar — even those in distant, war-torn Yemen.

As the Gaza ceasefire cautiously holds, all eyes now turn to how the Houthis will respond — militarily or politically — to the loss of one of their top commanders.