Media: Houthi senior leader confirmed dead following US airstrike in Saada

The Yemeni Houthi movement, Ansar Allah, has confirmed the death of one of its top leaders, nearly a week after reports emerged that he had been targeted in a US airstrike in the northern region of Saada.

The group held a funeral in Sana’a on April 14 for Abdulrahman Ahmed al-Darafi, the head of the education sector in Saada, a stronghold of the Houthis, Caliber.Az reports via Al Arabiya.

Houthi-affiliated media outlets described al-Darafi’s death as that of a “martyr” who had perished while fulfilling his duties in the pursuit of promised victory and a sacred jihad (holy war). However, the exact date and location of his death were not disclosed.

Sources had earlier reported that, in a separate strike earlier this week, Abu Abdullah al-Hamran, the Houthi’s general commander in Saada, was also killed. Al-Hamran had been a key figure in both the military and administrative leadership of the province.

To recall, as of April 2025, the Houthi movement in Yemen remains a significant regional actor, particularly in maritime security. Since November 2023, the Houthis have conducted over 100 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israeli and Western policies.

In response, the United States has initiated "Operation Rough Rider," a large-scale air and naval campaign targeting Houthi military infrastructure, including missile and drone launch sites. These operations have resulted in significant casualties, with at least 123 people killed and 247 wounded since mid-March 2025.

The Houthis have indicated a willingness to cease attacks on Israeli-affiliated vessels if a ceasefire in Gaza is fully implemented. However, the situation remains volatile, with the potential for renewed hostilities if ceasefire conditions are not met.

By Aghakazim Guliyev