In a rare public admission, Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed that Israel was responsible for the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh. Speaking at a Defence Ministry event on Monday, Katz stated that Israel had delivered a significant blow to Hamas and its allies. He also warned the Houthi rebels in Yemen, pledging to target their leadership and infrastructure in a similar manner.
“We have defeated Hamas, we have defeated Hezbollah, we have disabled Iran’s defense systems and damaged their production facilities, and we have toppled the Assad regime in Syria,” Katz outlined, describing Israel’s broader military actions in the region.
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Katz acknowledged the assassination of Haniyeh on July 31, which took place during the Hamas leader’s visit to Tehran for the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed when an “airborne guided projectile” hit a military residence in northern Tehran, as reported by Iranian state media. While Iranian and Palestinian officials had previously blamed Israel for the attack, this is the first official acknowledgment from Israeli leadership.
Regarding the Houthis in Yemen, Katz issued a stern warning about the consequences of continued missile attacks on Israel. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, had launched several missile strikes on Israel in recent months, including a hypersonic ballistic missile that hit Tel Aviv on Saturday, evading Israel’s defense systems and causing injuries in Jaffa.
“We will destroy [Houthi] strategic infrastructure and eliminate their leaders – just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon,” Katz said, referencing the deaths of Hamas Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Haniyeh’s assassination has heightened tensions in the region, with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging “harsh punishment” in retaliation. Following the assassination, Iran launched missile strikes on several Israeli cities in October, claiming them as retaliatory for the killing of its allies. Israeli authorities reported minimal damage and no casualties from the Iranian attacks, while Palestinian officials confirmed one death in the West Bank due to falling debris.
