According to two security sources, the minister, who is also the uncle of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, was wounded in Israeli attacks, and the terror organization has been trying to maintain complete secrecy about his condition.

Video: IDF strikes targets in Saana, Yemen. Credit: Arab media

Additionally, the sources reported that the senior Houthi official's health condition has been deteriorating, and he has undergone more than one complex surgery. The Yemeni site, which opposes the Houthis, noted that since Operation Drop of Luck, in which the Houthi prime minister and nine ministers were killed at the end of August, the interior minister has not appeared publicly. His last public appearance was on August 17 when he led a security meeting at his ministry headquarters to discuss preparations for "Prophet's Birthday" events.

Currently, Houthi Deputy Interior Minister Abd al-Majid al-Murtada is responsible for managing the ministry and has been active at various events. During Israeli strikes last summer, the "Houthi Chief of Staff" Abd al-Karim al-Rhamari was killed. For weeks, the terror organization concealed his death before acknowledging it. Youssef al-Madani was appointed in al-Rhamari's place. According to foreign reports, Iran also sent the official responsible for the Yemen portfolio in the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards to assist the Houthis.

Last month, sources in Yemen reported that the terror organization's "defense minister," Mohammed Nasser al-Atifi, was also wounded in the Israeli strike last August. According to the sources, al-Atifi was hospitalized at one of the hospitals.

Meanwhile, the Houthis published a condolence message to Hezbollah in recent days following the killing of senior organization official Haytham Ali Tabatabai. In a letter sent by organization leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, it was written that he "relies on Hezbollah and its ability to overcome difficulties." He also called for "conscious and responsible action to confront the enemy and expose all attempts to lull the nation regarding Israel."

Tabatabai previously commanded Hezbollah's special forces in Yemen. In this capacity, he assisted the Houthis during the civil war. According to foreign reports, Hezbollah has advised the Houthis over the years on various matters. In this sense, Tabatabai's death was another blow to the Houthis after the killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.

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Tabataba'i, who rose through the ranks of Hezbollah's special forces, was more than just a senior commander in the Radwan unit. He was dispatched on key assignments during the civil wars in Yemen and Syria throughout the last decade. Through this work, he provided extensive support to other elements of the Iranian axis, enabling them to establish themselves against their rivals from the Sunni and Islamist axis.

During those years, Hezbollah was operating at the peak of its strength, sending delegations of military advisors to distant corners of the Middle East. These missions were instrumental in aiding the Houthis in their fight against the Yemeni government and its allies, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They also served as a major source of support for the Assad regime in Syria and offered counsel to militias in Iraq. Furthermore, the previous Secretary-General was not content with merely sending an advisory team, but also, according to reports in foreign publications, personally provided telephone consultations to the Houthi leader.

The defeat on the northern front and the continuous elimination of top leadership have since catapulted Tabataba'i to the helm of the terror organization's "military wing." He collaborated closely with Mohammed Haidar, a senior advisor on the "Jihad Council" who himself survived an assassination attempt. Over the past year, both men, like the few other surviving senior officials, have been focused predominantly on attempts to reconstruct terror infrastructure within Lebanon, not on engagement in Sanaa or Damascus. Consequently, the Iranian axis has suffered severe setbacks, or even outright collapse, on both of those distant fronts.

Tabataba'i's death will exacerbate Hezbollah's debate over how to respond to Israel's strikes in Lebanon – a conversation the deceased official himself was engaged in. Recently, Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem ramped up his rhetoric, declaring that "the current situation cannot continue." Qassem seems to have channeled the discontent brewing within the organization's ranks following the hundreds of targeted killings in the past year.

Yesterday, two senior Hezbollah figures addressed the attack. While Member of Parliament Ali Ammar spoke about finding "the appropriate time" for a response, Mohammed Qamati stressed that "all options are open." These remarks are highly indicative of the profound disagreement within Hezbollah that will dominate the leadership's upcoming consultations.

Video: The attack in Beirut on November 23, 2025

On one side, Hezbollah finds itself in a position of historic weakness and is disadvantaged against Israel, despite its efforts to recover. Launching a single rocket or a full salvo could provide Israel with the perfect pretext for additional strikes, eliminating the few remaining senior commanders. Qassem may lack strength and charisma, but the organization has no superior alternative. The head of Hezbollah's political council, Ibrahim Amin al-Sayyed, is an equally uninspiring figure. On the other side, the organization faces growing turmoil among the Shiite public due to delays in reconstruction and compensation payments, fueling a strong desire for revenge.

Despite these immediate pressures, Hezbollah's calculus is rooted in the long term. Their reasoning dictates that as long as the Shiite Muslim population continues to expand at the expense of Christians and maintains its support for the terror group, they can afford to wait and concentrate solely on infrastructural repair. With the passage of time, Lebanon will become progressively more Shiite and pro-Iranian. Under this view, the current Lebanese government, including figures like President Michel Aoun, represents the final stand of the country's "pro-Western" elements.

This dynamic shifts the central dilemma to Israel. Can Jerusalem accept a diminished Hezbollah, fully aware that it might fully rebound in ten years, or should it exploit the current opportunity to push the terror group into an even deeper abyss – a crisis point where its rivals within the Land of the Cedars will finally have the courage to step in and permanently dismantle the organization's arsenal.

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The US government previously offered a $5 million reward for information on him. This commander headed the organization's special forces in Syria and Yemen. While in this role, he provided assistance to pro-Iranian militias and the Houthis.

Haytham 'Ali Tabataba'i was designated an international terrorist with a special classification as early as 2016. The US government's website stated, "Tabataba'i's actions in Syria and Yemen are part of a larger Hizballah effort to provide training, materiel, and personnel in support of its destabilizing regional activities."

In recently published footage from the funeral of the commander of the Aziz Unit in Beirut, a Hezbollah operative was seen whose face bore a resemblance to the identity of Tabataba'i. That same operative wore the emblem of the Radwan Elite Force.

Haytham Ali Tabatabai is described as "Hezbollah's chief of staff." During the war on the northern front, the previous commanders considered "chiefs of staff" – Fouad Shukr and Ibrahim Aqil – were assassinated. Another senior commander eliminated along with the organization's secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, was Ali Karaki. Among the senior figures who have survived in the organization thus far is the current secretary general, Naim Qassem, a bland, charisma-less figure. Another senior official is Talal Hamiyah, who leads Unit 910. This unit is responsible for overseas terrorist activities, including attacks against Western targets. In addition to them, Mohammad Haydar, who is considered a "military advisor" in the terror organization and whose status also rose following the series of eliminations, can be mentioned.

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The organization gained international attention during the Israel-Hamas war through maritime and Israeli strikes they claimed aimed to force Israel's combat withdrawal, The Associated Press reported. Following the Oct. 10 ceasefire start, no attacks have been attributed to the group. Though rebels insisted operations focused on Israel-affiliated vessels, targeted ships demonstrated limited connection to the conflict. The campaign killed at least nine maritime personnel, sank four vessels, and disrupted Red Sea commerce previously handling approximately $1 trillion in goods annually before hostilities, The Associated Press noted. The latest strike hit Dutch-flagged cargo ship Minervagracht on Sept. 29, killing one crew member and wounding another.

Egypt's Suez Canal, linking Red Sea waters to the Mediterranean, experienced severe transit disruption from the strikes, The Associated Press reported. The waterway provides critical hard currency for Egypt, generating $10 billion in 2023 as the nation's economy struggles. The International Monetary Fund noted in July that rebel operations "reduced foreign exchange inflows from the Suez Canal by $6 billion in 2024." Despite modest recent traffic increases during the attack lull, many shippers continue routing around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid Red Sea waters and the Gulf of Aden, The Associated Press noted.

US forces launched intensive bombing operations against the rebels earlier this year that President Donald Trump halted before his Middle East visit, The Associated Press reported. The Biden administration similarly conducted strikes, including deploying America's B-2 stealth bombers targeting what officials described as underground rebel facilities.

The rebels have escalated Saudi Arabia threats and detained dozens from UN agencies and aid groups as prisoners, alleging without evidence they were spies – claims fiercely denied by the UN and others, The Associated Press reported. Israeli forces previously warned of escalated responses to any renewed maritime attacks.

Shipping industry analysts project cautious resumption of Red Sea routes contingent on sustained ceasefire stability, with insurance costs and security concerns continuing to influence routing decisions, according to maritime security sources cited by The Associated Press. The rebels' conditional suspension leaves commercial shipping vulnerable to rapid campaign resumption if Gaza hostilities restart.

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The runway on Zuqar Island adds another link in a growing network of naval and aerial bases in a key corridor for international shipping. The Houthis have already attacked more than 100 vessels in the area, sunk four ships, and killed at least nine sailors amid the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.

Such a base would allow military forces to conduct aerial surveillance over the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the two waterways between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Still, it remains unclear whether the runway is intended for military operations. The United Arab Emirates, which has previously built runways in the region, did not respond to requests for comment. Nor did the anti-Houthi Yemeni factions, who remain divided by competing interests and have been unable to mount a coordinated offensive against the rebels, even after intense Israeli and US bombing campaigns targeting Houthi positions.

In recent months, anti-Houthi forces have succeeded in intercepting another shipment of weapons bound for the rebels, an operation that a presence on Zuqar Island could further support.

Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC analyzed by AP show construction of a nearly 2,000-meter-long runway on Zuqar Island, located about 90 kilometers (56 miles) southeast of Hodeidah, a major port city controlled by the Houthis.

The photos indicate that construction began in April with the building of a pier, followed by ground clearing along the runway site. By late August, what appears to be asphalt had been laid across the airstrip. Images from October show the work continuing, with runway markings painted in mid-month.

No party has publicly claimed responsibility for the construction. However, ship-tracking data analyzed by AP shows that a bulk carrier named Albatssa, sailing under the Togolese flag and registered to a Dubai-based shipping company, spent nearly a week docked at the new pier on Zuqar Island after arriving from Berbera in Somaliland, a DP World port site. DP World declined to comment.

The Dubai-based shipping company Saif Shipping and Marine Services confirmed that it had received an order to supply asphalt to the island—presumably for the runway—on behalf of other companies also based in the UAE. Other Emirati shipping firms have been linked to previous runway construction projects in Yemen, which were later connected to the UAE.

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Among the targets attacked were the Houthis' General Staff command center, security and intelligence compounds of the regime, the headquarters of the Houthis' military propaganda department, and camps where weapons and fighters were identified in the Sanaa area.

The strikes were carried out in response to attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against Israel, including the launch of drones and surface-to-surface missiles toward Israeli territory.

Pro-Iranian media outlets reported that the Houthis activated their air defense systems against the strikes in northern Sanaa.

Meanwhile, a security assessment was held in Eilat following the crash of a Houthi drone in the city Wednesday night. The meeting included the head of the IDF Southern Command, the commander of the Eilat Police District, representatives from Israel Fire and Rescue Services, Magen David Adom paramedics, and the IDF Home Front Command.

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September 26, 1962, marked the beginning of an eight-year civil war in north Yemen. On that day, Shiite-Zaydi Imam Muhammad al-Badr was overthrown by rebels who received support from Nasser's Egypt. The war ended with victory for those "republicans."

Today, the Houthis maintain a de facto monarchical rule. Abd al-Malik al-Houthi serves as the undisputed leader, while official positions are held by his associates, such as Political Council head Mahdi al-Mashat and members of Sana'a's puppet government who survived the recent strike. Thus, the Houthis view the commemoration of that day as an opposition to their rule.

Sources in Yemen told Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that at least 275 people were arrested in recent days in Sana'a, Hajjah, Dhamar, and Ibb provinces. Detainees include officials, students, social activists, and writers. All are suspected of intending to mark the revolution's anniversary.

Among prominent detainees: Yemeni poet Awras al-Eryani and writer Ziad Majed, abducted in Sana'a. The poet's family members said his life is in danger, as he suffers from diabetes and chronic illnesses requiring medical treatment. Following his arrest, dozens of Yemeni writers called for his immediate release.

Al-Eryani tends to mock the Sana'a regime, arousing Houthi anger. Marking the anniversary of the terror movement's coup, he wrote on Facebook: "The Yemeni citizen reaches into his pocket and finds nothing but Houthi hands." As for Majed, he dared to share poems praising the "September 26 Revolution" day.

Meanwhile, the Houthis' internal security apparatus issued a warning, accusing anyone who marks the revolution's anniversary of being an "enemy agent" seeking to implement "malicious plans" aimed at harming the internal front.

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A one-way attack drone launched by the Houthis struck the entrance of a hotel in Eilat, southern Israel. No casualties have been reported. pic.twitter.com/Kz6pvlDWsT

— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) September 18, 2025

He further said, "Second drone within a week, that there's a drone fall here. Both weren't intercepted – one without any warning at all, the second with warning. This is a situation that needs to be investigated. I demanded to investigate the first incident, they investigated and gave us answers, but it's not satisfactory. We'll need to wait for the investigation to understand why this is happening a second time and how we should act."

Houthi drone launched from Yemen struck Eilat, southern Israel. The siren went off only seconds before impact. pic.twitter.com/5rgLEGaYI0

— Leon Sverdlov (@Leon_Sverdlov) September 18, 2025

"At this stage, since this is the situation, I made a decision together with the regional commander to cancel the event that's supposed to take place now at Dekel Beach. I'm the last one who tends to cancel events – everyone knows that. During the war, there were many launches here and we didn't cancel studies or anything. But when a case occurs that we don't know why it happened, the concern is that it could happen again. Therefore, at these hours, half an hour before the event, it's better not to take a risk and not to hold the event on Thursday."

Your office is located about 30 meters from where the drone fell. Were you in the office and did you hear it?

"I don't think they aimed at me, but when a drone falls without warning, it's always a bad feeling. We give full trust to the security forces and the air force that does wonderful work here in the area. There are excellent defense systems here that have proven themselves time after time. There are isolated cases that still penetrated and fell."

"It needs to be said that there's no change in Home Front Command policy, and also that our assessment is that not many people would have arrived at the event because of the proximity of this specific event. Regardless, we want to hear the investigation results."

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According to an IDF statement, the port is being used by the Houthis to transfer Iranian weapons intended for terrorist operations against Israel and its allies.

The airstrike was carried out as part of Operation Looking From Above, aimed at maintaining the naval and aerial blockade on the Houthis. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Houthi terrorist group "will continue to take blows and pay painful prices for every attempt to attack Israel."

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said their air defenses were activated against Israeli fighter jets. The Saudi-owned Al-Hadath news channel reported that the Israeli Air Force conducted 12 strikes on three docks at the Hodeidah port.

Earlier in the day, IDF Arabic-language spokesman Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee issued a warning urging civilians and ships to leave the port area. "The IDF will strike in the coming hours at the location marked on the map due to the Houthi regime's military activity there. For your safety, we call on all those present at the port of Hodeidah and all ships docked there to evacuate immediately. Anyone who remains in the area is endangering their lives," Adraee said.

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The drone penetration comes one day after a drone from Yemen, which was identified but not classified as hostile, struck the passenger terminal at Ramon International Airport.

The IDF updated that within half an hour, the Air Force intercepted three unmanned aircraft. Following alerts activated shortly before in the southern Negev region, the Air Force intercepted an unmanned aircraft launched from Yemen. Additionally, another aircraft was intercepted without alerts being activated according to policy. The interception of these aircraft joins an additional interception carried out earlier in the day in the Arava region.

Channel 14's own correspondent admits it: a Yemeni drone just became the first "international aircraft" to land at Ramon Airport since it opened, and it came in without clearance, sirens, or interception before hitting the passenger terminal. pic.twitter.com/0wym4qRLhW

— Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 7, 2025

 Since the beginning of the war, approximately 150 Houthi drones have been launched toward Israel. More than 98 percent were intercepted. The IDF emphasized that "there is no indication of a technical malfunction in existing detection systems." Parallel to yesterday's impact incident, three additional drones were also successfully intercepted by the Air Force in the area of the Egyptian border.

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