Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that Israel has eliminated the entire leadership of the Houthi movement in Yemen, with the sole exception of the group's leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, whom he described as hiding in tunnels. "If he comes into our crosshairs — he will die," Katz added. The statement builds on his earlier remarks that the campaign against the Houthis remains open.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday made the most sweeping claim yet regarding Israel's campaign against the Houthi movement in Yemen, stating that the military has eliminated the entire leadership of the Iran-backed group save for its supreme leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi. Katz's remarks — published at 15:03 Jerusalem time — assert that al-Houthi is currently evading capture or assassination by hiding in tunnels, and that he remains a target. "If he comes into our crosshairs — he will die," Katz said.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday (13:28 Jerusalem), Katz earlier that day characterized the account with the Houthis as "open" and declared the group's leader a legitimate target for assassination if located. Wednesday's statement sharpens that threat: Katz now claims that Israel has already methodically eliminated the entire Houthi command structure. The precise scope of the asserted "eliminations" — whether they include military commanders, political figures, or IRGC-linked advisers — was not elaborated.
Israel has been waging an increasingly public campaign against Houthi ballistic missile and drone attacks that have repeatedly targeted southern Israeli territory and Red Sea shipping lanes since late 2023. Katz's latest statement signals both operational confidence and an explicit warning that the group's top figure is now the remaining priority target. It remains unclear whether any independent or Houthi-affiliated sources have confirmed the extent of the claimed leadership losses.
2 developments
- DevelopingKatz: IDF thwarting Hezbollah tunnels, destroying terror infrastructure near Lebanon border fence
- StrongKatz: All IDF gains in the Lebanon campaign preserved; forces operate from the Yellow Line inward
- DevelopingKatz: IDF has full backing, freedom of action against all threats in Lebanon, Gaza
- DevelopingKatz: Iran's nuclear program eliminated, must ensure it does not return
Source and signal
- Internal intake