Israel for the first time confirmed its role in the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz reinstated the same yesterday. While asserting Israel’s role, he issued a stern warning to the Houthi rebels from Yemen of destroying their infrastructure and ‘decapitating’ its leaders.
Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed on July 31 in Tehran, Iran. Yahya Sinwar had replaced Haniyeh as the group’s military chief. However, Sinwar was also killed in an Israeli Military operation in Southern Gaza on October 16. After Sinwar, Hezbollah Chief, Hassan Nasrallah was also killed by Israel.
What Did Israel Defence Minister Say?
Katz’s warning to Houthis came at a commemoration event for local security officers. Israel Defence Minister said, “We will strike [the Houthis’] strategic infrastructure and decapitate its leaders. Just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah, in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon — we will do in Hodeidah and Sanaa.”
Israeli Defence Minister also admitted to overthrowing the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
He added, “We have overthrown the Assad regime in Syria, we have dealt heavy blows to the ‘axis of evil,’ and we will also severely strike the Houthi terror organization in Yemen, which remains the last one standing.”
Katz further said, “In these days, when the Houthi terror organization is firing missiles at Israel, I want to convey a clear message to them: We have defeated Hamas, we have defeated Hezbollah, we have blinded the defense systems in Iran, and damaged the [missile] production systems. We have overthrown the Assad regime in Syria, we have dealt heavy blows to the ‘axis of evil,’ and we will also severely strike the Houthi terror organization in Yemen, which remains the last one standing,” The Israel Times reported.
The IRGC statement read: ‘With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning [Wednesday] the residence of Mr. Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred.’