IAF blows up Houthi leadership in a single strategic bombing

The Israeli Air Force [IAF] always seems to get a big bang for their shekel. They dropped a helluva surprise party on Houthi bigwigs in Sanaa, Yemen, last week, changing the Houthi prime minister's pronouns into 'was/ were.' The defense minister, and chief of the general staff were also eliminated in the airstrike as were the top ranking members of the government. All that's left are four low-ranking flunkies who probably wish they never joined the military.

This was a masterclass in seizing the moment. The Israelis caught wind of a rare Houthi pow-wow, where the top brass gathered to nod along to a rambling screed from their head honcho, Abdul Malik al-Houthi. One well-timed strike later, and boom—the Houthi org chart got a serious trim. Whispers on X suggest Israel pulled a slick bait-and-switch, luring the Houthi elite to one spot with a deception op straight out of a spy thriller. Think How Israel Lured Iran's Top Generals to Their Deaths Will Blow Your Mind—same vibe, different desert.

The body count? At least 10 Houthi heavyweights, including Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Defense Minister Major General Mohamed al-Atifi, and Chief of General Staff Major General Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari. The Houthis, true to form, are screaming “fake news!”—claiming it was all civilians, or if it happened, it was just a scratch. Sure, guys, tell it to the crater.This all kicked off after the Houthis got cocky last Friday, lobbing a cluster munition at Israel. Bad move. Israel had been brushing off their drone swarms like annoying flies, but cluster bombs aimed at cities? That’s a red line. By Sunday, Israel was back, hammering a military site near a presidential palace, a fuel depot, and two power stations in Yemen. Call it a message, delivered with a side of high explosives.

Codenamed “Drop of Luck,” the Thursday strike used standoff weapons—no warning, just instant chaos. Maximum surprise, minimum chit-chat.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz didn’t mince words: “As we warned the Houthis in Yemen: ‘After the plague of darkness comes the plague of death.’ Whoever raises a hand against Israel, their hand will be cut off.” Biblical, brutal, and on-brand.

Let’s not kid ourselves—this won’t make the Houthis pack up their missiles and go home. They’re too stubborn for that. But it sure as hell spikes their operating costs and turns their leaders’ lives into a high-stakes game of “where’s the next boom?” Exciting times in Sanaa.

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