Netanyahu Takes a Victory Lap After Houthi PM Killed in Daring Yemen Raid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking a victory lap after a daring Israeli raid in Yemen killed the Houthi prime minister, Ahmed Ghaleb Al Rahwi. Netanyahu celebrated the strike as a “fatal blow” and boasted that Israel is “doing what no one has done before.”
The operation was a direct retaliation for the Houthis’ campaign of firing missiles at Israel and attacking ships, actions they claim are in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Netanyahu has warned that all Houthi leaders are now in Israel’s crosshairs.
The strike was a significant intelligence achievement, penetrating the secretive Houthi leadership from 2,000km away. The victory was tempered, however, by the fact that the group’s chief of staff, the main target, was not killed.
The Houthis have promised a swift and harsh retaliation for the assassination. While analysts praise the tactical brilliance of the raid, they remain skeptical that it will fundamentally alter the course of the conflict or the motivations of the Houthi movement.