In a first-ever public acknowledgement, Israel’s defense minister Israel Karz has confirmed that they killed Hamas’ top leader Ismail Haniyeh last summer. He confirmed it while issuing a threat to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen.
Although unacknowledged, it was widely accepted that Israel was behind the killing of Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh.
He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. “We will strike (the Houthis’) strategic infrastructure and cut off the head of the leadership,” he said.
“Just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon, we will do in Hodeida and Sanaa,” he said, referring to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders killed in previous Israeli attacks. It must be noted that after the October 7 attack on Israel, the tensions flared up to an unprecedented scale with Israel facing war and conflict at multiple fronts. In this multifaceted war, Israel has fought Hezbollah, Iran, Hamas and Houthis.
While it has been on its toes in retaliatory attacks on all of them, the fight with Hamas and Hezbollah acquired central stage. Despite various attacks, tensions with Houthis have not escalated to such a level. However, the losses to Hezbollah and Hamas at both military and leadership levels have reduced their capabilities. Given that, Israel now has room for major retaliation. On Saturday, a Houthi missile landed in Tel Aviv which wounded at least 16 people. Despite a number of attacks, Israel has carried out three sets of airstrikes in Yemen during the war and vowed to step up the pressure on the rebel group until the missile attacks stop.
(With inputs from AP)
