Yemen's Houthi's have confirmed an Israeli air strike in August targeting the rebel group's top leaders also killed their chief of staff, escalating the tensions between the group and Israel even as a ceasefire holds in Gaza.

The Houthis on Thursday (local time) acknowledged the killing of Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, who had been sanctioned by the United Nations over his role in the country's decade-long war.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed the killing, saying that Mr al-Ghamari had died of wounds he suffered in the attack and had joined "his fellow members of the axis of evil in the depths of hell".

Mr Katz referred to the strike as "the strike of the firstborn," a reference to a series of strikes Israel conducted on August 28 which also killed Houthi Prime Minister

See Full Page