Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday disclosed that the country was responsible for the assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this year.
He also issued a stern warning to Yemen’s Houthi leadership, threatening decisive action.
Speaking at a defence ministry event, Katz stated, “We will deliver a powerful blow to the Houthis and target their leadership—just as we neutralized Haniyeh, [Yahya] Sinwar, and [Hassan] Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon. The same will be done in Hodeida and Sanaa.”
This was the first time an Israeli official openly admitted to carrying out the assassination of Haniyeh in Iran’s capital, which occurred in late July, shortly after Haniyeh had attended Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s swearing-in ceremony.
Katz’s statement, released by the ministry, emphasized Israel’s uncompromising stance: “Anyone who threatens Israel will face retribution, and the Israeli military will ensure accountability.”
While Israel had previously taken responsibility for targeting Yahya Sinwar in Gaza and Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, Katz’s remarks are the first confirmation of its role in Haniyeh’s killing.
In recent months, the conflict between Israel and Iran has escalated significantly. In October, Iran launched a missile strike on Israeli targets, claiming it was retaliation for the assassinations of Haniyeh and IRGC commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
While Israel intercepted most of the missiles, a few struck within the country, though no major casualties were reported.
