JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen.
The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement.
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.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel throughout the war, including a missile that landed in Tel Aviv on Saturday and wounded at least 16 people.
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.
Also Monday, the U.N. food agency reported that 23 trucks in a 66-truck convoy carrying food and other humanitarian supplies to central Gaza were plundered and lost.
U.N. associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said that the World Food Program convoy departed from the Kerem Shalon crossing via the recently approved Philadelphi Corridor on Sunday.
Despite Israeli assurances that safety conditions would be in place, she said an airstrike took place.
Tremblay said the first 35 trucks made it to a WFP warehouse without losses. She said Israeli Defense Forces delayed the rest of the convoy.
News of the convoy’s movement spread, Tremblay said, leading to plundering along the way, with a total of 43 trucks making it to the warehouse while 23 others were lost.
She called it “another example of why we continue to stress the need for the safe, unimpeded passage of assistance to reach populations that need it the most.”
