Houthi Chief of Staff Al-Ghamari Confirmed Dead Months After Israeli Targeted Strike

Latest Developments

• Elimination Confirmed: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on October 16 that the former chief of staff of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, Lt. Gen. Muhammad al-Ghamari, was killed by an Israeli airstrike against the group. Al-Ghamari — a member of the Houthis’ “Jihad Office” headed by the group’s leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi — was reportedly targeted in June and again in the August 28 strikes in the Houthi-controlled Yemeni capital of Sanaa, during which an additional 12 Houthi officials were killed. The defense minister’s statement followed a Houthi announcement that al-Ghamari had died “while fulfilling his duties,” without directly accusing Israel of responsibility. The announcement is also likely to have been delayed, as it does not specify exactly when al-Ghamari died.
• U.S. Sanctioned Al-Ghamari: The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned al-Ghamari in May 2021. At the time, OFAC accused him of being “directly responsible for attacks on infrastructure that have harmed civilians” as well as leading “an offensive in Marib that compounds human suffering.” It added that al-Ghamari “directs the procurement and deployment of various weapons, including improvised explosive devices, ammunition, and UAVs,” and had “also overseen Houthi UAV and missile attacks against Saudi Arabian targets.” 
• Replacement Announced: The Houthis announced on October 16 that Maj. Gen. Yusuf Hassan Ismail al-Madani, also known as Abu Husayn, has been appointed as al-Ghamari’s replacement. Al-Madani, who was designated a terrorist by the United States in May 2021, traveled to Iran in 2002 to train with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He later took on a prominent military role in the Houthis’ campaign against the Yemeni government, including the successful 2014 takeover of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in addition to leading forces and offensives in other regions. Al-Madani previously commanded the Houthis’ 5th Military Region — which includes coastal regions such as Hodeidah, Hajjah, Al Mahawit, and Raymah governorates — from where the terrorist organization has launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

FDD Expert Response

“The death of al-Ghamari marks a battlefield success for Israel, demonstrating Jerusalem’s resolve to follow through on its warnings of a strong response to repeated Houthi attacks. Yet as the war in Gaza has shown, the elimination of a single senior terrorist rarely alters the course of a conflict. Despite the Houthis suffering their most significant loss of personnel in the conflict with Israel, it is unlikely to deter the group from pursuing a future campaign of hostility against the Jewish state. For the Houthis, ideology and confrontation remain central pillars of their identity.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

“The delayed announcement of al-Ghamari’s death until after a ceasefire was in place and a replacement selected demonstrates the tight grip the Houthis have on information in their territory. While it is uncertain when exactly he died, the Houthis have been able to continue routine drone and missile attacks against Israel until the start of the ceasefire in Gaza. Therefore, it is likely that his death did not affect the Houthis’ operational capacity in that regard.” — Bridget Toomey, Research Analyst

“The Houthis arguably remain the most resolutely defiant component of Iran’s Axis of Aggression and the one that can most convincingly claim not to have been defeated or deterred by U.S. or Israeli military action. Hence, it is notable that one of their key military figures has died of his wounds. Despite the huge toll suffered by the Houthis after Israel’s August attack on its political leadership, the casualties discussed most by the media, like the de facto Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi, were actually less significant figures than their titles would suggest. Al-Ghamari, however, was important, and the Houthis have been deeply shaken by his elimination.” — Edmund Fitton-Brown, Senior Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“A Promise From Yemen’s Houthis Isn’t Worth the Paper It’s Written On,” by Bridget Toomey

“IDF Strikes Houthi Sites in Yemen in Response to Houthi Drone Attack on Eilat,” FDD Flash Brief

“Houthi Explosive Drone Injures Over 20 People in Israeli Resort City of Eilat,” FDD Flash Brief

“Houthi Drone Breaches Israeli Air Defenses, Damages Airport Terminal,” FDD Flash Brief