Yemen Announces Martyrdom of PM and Ministers in Israeli Attack
The Yemeni Presidency reassured the public that state institutions would continue to provide services “to the steadfast and patient Yemeni people” despite the loss
Yemen, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The Yemeni Presidency announced on Saturday the martyrdom of Prime Minister Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahawi, head of the Government of Change and Building, along with several ministers, in the latest wave of Israeli airstrikes on Sana’a.
According to the statement, the leaders were targeted on Thursday, August 28, 2025, during a routine government session to assess annual performance. The strike left several ministers wounded, some critically.
The presidency described the fallen leaders as a “new cohort of great martyrs from the national leadership, representing the entire spectrum of the Yemeni people,” and affirmed that their blood “will be the fuel and the motive to continue on the same path.”
Pledge of Continuity and Resistance
The Yemeni Presidency reassured the public that state institutions would continue to provide services “to the steadfast and patient Yemeni people” despite the loss.
It vowed to maintain Yemen’s “original position” in support of the people of Gaza and to persist in building the capabilities of the armed forces to confront all challenges and threats.
In the wake of the assassination, the head of the Yemeni Supreme Political Council, Mahdi al-Mashat, appointed Mohammad al-Moftah as caretaker prime minister.
Military and Political Reactions
Mohamed Nasser al-Atifi, Minister of Defense in the Sana’a government, stressed that Yemen’s armed forces were fully prepared to confront the Israeli enemy and its U.S. backers, asserting that “no matter the scale of its conspiracy, it will fail.”
Ansar Allah issued a statement mourning al-Rahawi and his colleagues, pledging that governmental institutions would continue serving the Yemeni people and that the leadership would remain undeterred “no matter the costs.”
Sana’a was hit by more than 10 Israeli airstrikes, with fatalities and injuries among civilians. Yemeni officials denied Israeli claims that the strikes targeted top military leaders, saying they hit residential and civilian areas.
Earlier in the week, Israeli warplanes also bombed a fuel derivatives warehouse on 60th Street in southwestern Sana’a.
Who Was Ahmad Ghaleb al-Rahawi?
Ahmad Ghaleb Nasser al-Rahawi al-Yafei was a southern Yemeni politician and senior member of the General People’s Congress (GPC), known for his staunch opposition to the U.S.-Saudi aggression over the past decade.
Born in Khanfar District, Abyan Governorate, al-Rahawi came from the influential al-Rahawi tribe. His political career spanned multiple key positions: Director-General of Khanfar, Deputy Governor of al-Mahwit, Deputy Governor of Abyan, and later Governor of Abyan.
He was appointed to the Supreme Political Council in March 2019 and became Prime Minister in August 2024 in a move that reflected the revolutionary leadership’s commitment to national partnership and inclusion of diverse political forces in governance.
Personal Sacrifice and Legacy
Al-Rahawi’s life was marked by personal sacrifice. He survived multiple assassination attempts, including one by al-Qaeda militants who destroyed his only home in Abyan, forcing him to relocate to Sana’a in 2015.
He was the son of Sheikh Ghalib Nasser al-Rahawi, a political and tribal leader assassinated in the 1970s, and cousin to the late paramount sheikh of the al-Rahawi tribe, Sheikh al-Layl.
Widely respected as a social and political figure, al-Rahawi was remembered for his commitment to Yemen’s sovereignty, resistance to foreign aggression, and his dedication to national unity. (PW)