Will decapitate Houthis as we did with Haniyeh, Nasrallah, Sinwar: Israeli Minister

For the first time, Israel has taken responsibility for assassinating Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this year, with Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, vowing to ‘decapitate’ the Houthis' leadership, as it had done with Haniyeh, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. This marks the first official acknowledgement of Israeli involvement in the killing, which took place in late July.

The IDF statement followed reports of a missile attack from Yemen on Tuesday, which was intercepted by Israeli defence systems before it reached the country. The Houthis, supported by Iran, have frequently launched missile and drone attacks against Israel throughout the ongoing conflict in Gaza, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.

Israel has intensified its military operations against the Houthi group, including airstrikes in Yemen, in retaliation for missile strikes on Israeli cities.

Haniyeh’s assassination reportedly carried out using an explosive device placed by Israeli operatives weeks before, occurred in a guesthouse in Tehran on July 31. Hamas condemned his death, and Palestinian officials have vowed retaliation.

The killing has been linked to a broader Israeli strategy to eliminate key figures associated with groups opposing its interests, with Katz emphasizing Israel’s success in targeting leaders from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

The aftermath of Haniyeh’s death saw an escalation in regional tensions, with Iranian officials pledging retribution. In October, Iran launched a missile barrage at Israeli cities, although the strikes resulted in limited damage and casualties. The ongoing violence has further strained relations across the Middle East, with Palestinian authorities also reporting civilian casualties in the wake of the Israeli operations.