Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, popularly known as the Houthis, has declared that it will seek vengeance against Israel for the assassination of the Houthi prime minister of Yemen, Ahmed al-Rahawi, on Thursday. On Thursday, Israel struck a meeting of al-Rahawi’s entire cabinet on Thursday, killing many senior Houthi officials

Mahdi al-Mashat, chairman of the Houthi executive council, pledged revenge against Israel in a Saturday speech. “To the Zionists we say: Our vengeance does not sleep, and dark days await you as a result of the treachery of your criminal government,” he said.

Abdel Malik al-Houthi, the leader of the Houthis and brother of the group’s founder, also condemned the attack.

“The Israeli enemy, with its crimes and savagery, does not spare even children, women and defenceless civilians,” Houthi said in a speech on Sunday, his first since the strike. “The crime of targeting ministers and civilian officials is added to the criminal record of the Israeli enemy in the region.”

In response to the assassination, the Houthis conducted raids on United Nations premises in Sana’a and detained 11 UN personnel who the Houthis have alleged were collaborating with Israel’s espionage operations.