Israel’s defence minister has confirmed that the IDF assassinated former Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this 12 months, and warned that the army would additionally “decapitate” the management of Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
“We will strike onerous on the Houthis … and decapitate their management – simply as we did with Haniyeh, [Yahya] Sinwar, and [Hassan] Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon, we’ll achieve this in Hodeida and Sanaa,” Israel Katz mentioned on Monday.
His remarks, at an occasion on the defence ministry, mark the primary public acknowledgement that Israel was behind the killing in late July of Haniyeh within the Iranian capital. Israel was broadly believed to be behind the blast and leaders have beforehand hinted at its involvement. Iran and Hamas had blamed it for the Hamas political chief’s demise.
“Anyone who raises a hand in opposition to Israel may have his hand lower off, and the lengthy arm of the IDF [Israeli military] will strike him and maintain him accountable,” Katz mentioned, in accordance with an announcement issued by the ministry.
Early on Tuesday, the IDF mentioned in an announcement that sirens sounded in a number of areas of central Israel following the launch of a projectile from Yemen. The missile was intercepted earlier than crossing into Israeli territory, it added. There had been no quick reviews of casualties.
The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel all through the battle in Gaza, describing the assaults as acts of solidarity with Palestinians there. On Saturday, a missile landed in Tel Aviv and wounded at the very least 16 individuals.
Israel has carried out three units of airstrikes in Yemen throughout the battle and vowed to step up the stress on the insurgent group till the missile assaults cease.
Haniyeh, who was seen as main Hamas’s negotiation efforts for a ceasefire in Gaza, was killed in a guesthouse in Tehran on 31 July, reportedly by an explosive gadget that had been positioned by Israeli operatives weeks earlier than.
A senior Hamas official described Haniyeh’s killing on the time as a “cowardly act that won’t go unpunished”. Mediators Qatar and Egypt warned it might set again talks on a ceasefire and a deal to launch hostages held in Gaza.
A day earlier, Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.
On 27 September, Israel killed Nasrallah in a Beirut bombing, which was adopted by the killing of Haniyeh’s successor Sinwar on 16 October in Gaza. Israeli officers say Sinwar masterminded the October 7, 2023 assault by Hamas on Israel, which sparked the continued battle within the Gaza Strip.
With Agence France-Presse and Associated Press
