This is the first public acknowledgment that Israel was responsible for the murder of Haniyeh, who was killed in July in an explosion in the Iranian capital.
Iran and Hamas attributed the murder of Haniyeh on July 31 in the Iranian capital to Israel, but the Israelis never confirmed this information.
“We will hit the Houthis hard, target their strategic infrastructure and decapitate their leadership, just as we did with Haniyeh, (Yahya) Sinouar (of Hamas) and (Hassan) Nasrallah (of Lebanese Hezbollah) in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon”, he stressed Katz at an event at the Ministry of Defense.
“Anyone who raises his hand against Israel will have his hand cut off, and the long arm of the Israel Defense Forces will attack him and hold him accountable,” Katz added, according to a statement released by the ministry.
This is the first public acknowledgment that Israel was responsible for the murder of Haniyeh, who was killed in July in an explosion in the Iranian capital.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whose Lebanese Shiite movement opened a front against Israel in October 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinians, was killed on September 27 in Beirut.
Iran retaliated in October
In retaliation for the deaths of Haniyeh and Nasrallah, Iran launched 200 missiles at Israel in early October, which in response hit military installations in Iran.
Yahya Sinouar, leader of Hamas in Gaza who replaced Haniyeh at the head of the movement, was killed by Israeli soldiers on October 16, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
Also this Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had asked Israeli forces “to destroy the Houthis’ infrastructure.”
“Anyone who tries to attack us must be hit hard”, he pointed out.
Yemeni Houthi rebels, allies of Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, fired a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv overnight from Friday to Saturday, causing 16 minor injuries.
