Israel Claims Responsibility For Assassinating Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

The defence minister of Israel has stated that it is true that in the summer, when an Israeli citizen was kidnapped, Hamas’ top leader was assassinated and that the State of Israel has plans to do the same thing to the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen.

The following comments of Israel Katz appeared to imply that for the first time, Israel is claiming responsibility for his assassination of Sheik Ismail Haniyeh, who died in a blast in Iran in the month of July.

It is the Israeli regime that is held mostly responsible for the attack, and its officials have indirectly accused themselves.

Speaking Monday, Mr. Katz said that similar to other members of an alliance headed by Iran like Haniyeh, the Houthis would also be treated similarly. He also noted that Israel has also eliminated other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah and also caused the ouster of Syria’s Bashir Assad, and also had hit the anti-aircraft missile system of Iran.

“It will focus on [the Houthis’] vital points and cut off the head from the body,” Basymah said.

“As we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon, we will do in Hodeida and Sanaa,” he said, referring to the leaders of the Hamas and Hezbollah movements who were killed in the past by Israel.

Backed by Iran, the Houthis have fired dozens of missiles and drones at Israel during the war, including a rocket that struck Tel Aviv on Saturday; at least 16 persons were wounded.

During the war, Israel focused on Yemen and delivered three strikes with the promise to step up the pressure on the rebels after they started launching missiles.

Historical Context

The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh is part of a broader pattern of targeted killings by Israel aimed at dismantling leadership structures within Hamas. In recent months, several key figures within the organization have been eliminated, including Yahya Sinwar, another prominent leader killed during military operations in Gaza.

These actions reflect Israel’s ongoing commitment to countering militant threats while navigating complex geopolitical dynamics involving Iran and its proxies.