Israel acknowledges it killed Hamas political chief in Iran
- 24 December, 09:23
Israel has for the first time publicly acknowledged that it was behind the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’ relevant statement was aired on Israel’s public broadcaster on Monday. Describing Haniye’s killing, Katz said Israel had “dealt a severe blow to the axis of evil, and we will also deal a severe blow to the Houthi terrorist organisation in Yemen, which remains the last to stand”.
The statement followed Houthis’ ballistic missile attack on Israel two days ago that injured 20 people and caused large-scale destruction. Earlier that evening, Houthis also attacked two military targets in Israel with drones.
Katz warned Yemen-based Houthi militants over missile attacks at Israel. “In these days when the Houthi terrorist organization is firing missiles at Israel, I want to deliver a clear message: We will severely paralyze the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, which remains the last standing group of its kind.”
Israel will “damage [Houthi] strategic infrastructure, and we will behead their leaders – just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon – we will do it in Hodeidah and Sanaa”, Katz went on saying, referencing the subsequent killings of Hamas’s Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated on July 31 while visiting Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Haniye’s killing sparked fears of escalation of tension, with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledging “harsh punishment” in retaliation. In October this year Iran launched a barrage of missiles across Israel in retaliation for the killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
