In a significant and controversial revelation, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has publicly admitted responsibility for the assassination of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, five months after the incident. Speaking at an event honoring defense officials on Monday, Katz claimed that Israel had severely weakened the “axis of evil” and issued a stark warning to Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Katz declared that Hamas had been “defeated” in Gaza and emphasized Israel’s determination to target the Houthis in Yemen, whom he described as “the last to stand.” He stated, “When the Houthi terrorist organisation 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 Iran’s defence systems, and we have damaged the production systems. We will damage [Houthi] strategic infrastructure, and we will behead their leaders – just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah.”
This statement comes amidst heightened tensions, as the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks on Israel since October 7 in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, following intense military actions by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). Katz’s comments have drawn both support and condemnation internationally, further polarizing opinions on Israel’s defense strategy.
The assassination of Haniyeh occurred on July 31, when a missile struck his location in Tehran, where he had traveled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s newly-elected President Masoud Pezeshkian. The missile reportedly broke through the window of the room before directly hitting Haniyeh, as confirmed by senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya.
Hamas has vowed continued resistance, despite the loss of its leader. Meanwhile, Katz’s remarks signal a potentially broader scope of Israeli military actions in the region, escalating tensions and raising concerns over future conflict dynamics.
