Israel claims responsibility for killing Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh: 'We will behead their leaders'

Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, for the first time publicly claimed responsibility for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July. 

Amid persisting tensions between Tehran and Israel, and an already volatile situation in the region, the revelation by the Israeli minister risks escalating conflicts.

During his remarks, Katz stated, "These days, when the Houthi terrorist organisation is firing missiles at Israel, I want to convey a clear message to them at the beginning of my remarks: We have defeated Hamas, we have defeated Hezbollah, we have blinded Iran's defence systems and damaged the production systems, we have toppled the Assad regime in Syria, we have dealt a severe blow to the axis of evil, and we will also deal a severe blow to the Houthi terrorist organisation in Yemen, which remains the last to stand." 

During an evening honouring defence ministry personnel, Katz said, "Israel will damage their strategic infrastructure, and we will behead their leaders – just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon – we will do it in Hodeidah and Sana'a."

The Iran-backed group in Yemen has been attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea for over a year trying to enforce a naval blockade on Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel's year-long war in Gaza.

In late July, the political leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas was killed in Tehran in an assassination blamed on Israel by Iranian authorities. There was no direct claim of responsibility by Israel for the killing of Haniyeh at the time.