Sana'a – Senior leaders of Yemen’s Houthi militia have reportedly fled the capital Sana’a and relocated to the northern governorates of Saada and Amran following a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting high-level command centers last week.

According to regional media and intelligence sources, the strikes—described as the most extensive Israeli operation in Yemen to date—targeted the presidential compound, military installations, and residential areas believed to house top Houthi officials. The attacks came in response to recent missile and drone launches by the Houthis against Israeli territory, which Tel Aviv has attributed to Iranian coordination.

The Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, Defense Minister Mohamed al-Atifi, and Chief of Staff Muhammad al-Ghamari were among those reportedly killed in the strikes. Surviving members of the Houthi cabinet and military command are said to have retreated to fortified positions in Saada, the group’s traditional stronghold, and Amran, a strategic buffer zone north of the capital.

Security analysts suggest the relocation signals a shift in Houthi strategy, prioritizing survival and reorganization amid fears of further Israeli targeting. “This is a tactical withdrawal, not a collapse,” said a Yemeni military source. “They are consolidating in terrain they know well, preparing for asymmetric retaliation.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strikes were part of a broader campaign to neutralize threats from Iranian-backed militias across the region. “The Houthis will pay for every missile they launch at Israel,” Katz said in a televised statement.

Meanwhile, humanitarian agencies have raised concerns about civilian casualties and infrastructure damage in Sana’a, where search and rescue operations continue. The escalation has drawn international attention, with calls for restraint amid fears of a wider regional conflict.