The IDF killed Houthi Chief of Staff Muhammad Abd Al-Karim al-Ghamari in a strike in late August, the military confirmed on Thursday after the Yemeni terror group declared his death.
He was one of the most senior military officials of the Iran-backed group, was killed "while fulfilling his duties."
Without directly blaming Israel for his killing, Houthis said that the conflict with Israel had not ended. Israel will "receive its deterrent punishment for the crimes it has committed."
The Houthis had fired missiles towards Israel in what they said were acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, most of which have been intercepted. Israel has responded with strikes on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
The military targeted senior members of the Houthis in its strike on August 28.
Who was the killed Houthi leader
Ghamari was chosen as the chief of staff of the organization in 2016, when the Houthi Supreme Political Council gave him the rank of major general.
He became the commander-in-chief of the terror organization in 2021, when he replaced Abdul Khaleq al-Houthi (who nowadays is the second leader of the Houthis).
After being appointed commander-in-chief, the UN Security Council sanctioned him for "his role in threatening the peace, security, and stability of Yemen."
He was also sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury, with an "Executive Order 13611, an authority aimed at blocking property of persons threatening the peace, security, or stability of Yemen."
"Ghamari is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13611 for having engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, such as acts that obstruct the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, or that obstruct the political process in Yemen," their statement said.
Israel reacts to Houthi chief of staff's death
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the killing of Ghamari: "Another chief of staff has been eliminated in the line of terrorist commanders who sought to harm us - we will reach them all."
"The determined hand of the State of Israel will reach all those who sought to harm us and set themselves the goal of destroying Israel," said a statement by the PM Office.
"The Houthi terrorist organization has now announced that their chief of staff, who was attacked in the powerful first strike that thwarted most of the Houthi leadership in Yemen, has died from his wounds, thus joining his thwarted comrades of the evil axis in the depths of hell," said Defense Minister Israel Katz.
"I visited the 'Houthi War Room' of the Intelligence Directorate and thanked the Head of the Intelligence Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder, and the rest of the department for the excellent work they have done and will continue to do against the Houthis in the future. We have worked hard against the Houthis to remove significant threats - and we will do so against any threat in the future as well," he added.