Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday night claimed responsibility for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, saying that “We will behead” the Houthi leaders, “just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah.”
Since the assassination of Haniyeh, who visited Tehran for the inauguration of the new Iranian president, Israel has not admitted its involvement in his elimination.
In a speech given at the Defense Ministry’s tribute to security coordinators around the country, Katz also claimed that Israel was responsible for the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. “We defeated Hamas, we defeated Hezbollah, we blinded the defense systems in Iran and damaged the production systems, we collapsed the Assad regime in Syria, we severely wounded the axis of evil – and we will also severely strike the Houthi terrorist organization in Yemen, which is the last one standing,” Katz said.
The part about the assassination of Haniyeh caught the attention of Iran’s permanent ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani, who declared, according to the Iranian propaganda channel PressTV: “This brazen admission marks the first time the Israeli regime has openly confessed to its responsibility for this heinous crime.”
“It also reaffirms the legitimacy and legality of Iran’s defensive response on October 1, 2024,” the Iranian diplomat said.
On October 1, 2024, Iran launched a large-scale missile attack on Israel, targeting key cities like #TelAviv and Jerusalem. This escalation is tied to rising tensions between the two nations, particularly after Israel’s recent offensive in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah,… pic.twitter.com/2gqC6sLn9s
— Mukammil Babu (@MukammilBabu) October 1, 2024
Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles at targets across Israel on October 1, 2024, marking the most extensive assault since the onset of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. The strikes, executed in at least two waves, were part of a coordinated military operation Tehran has dubbed Operation True Promise 2. This assault represents Iran’s second direct attack on Israeli territory in 2024, following a similar barrage in April.
Israel reported that it had successfully intercepted most of the incoming missiles, with no harm to its Air Force’s operational capabilities. The US Navy and Jordan also confirmed that they had intercepted several missiles. Despite the widespread barrage, the attacks resulted in two fatalities: a PA Arab was killed directly by missile debris and an Israeli man indirectly. Additionally, four PA Arabs, two Israelis, and two Jordanians sustained minor injuries.
The Nevatim Airbase in the Negev was struck by 20 to 32 missiles, causing damage to a hangar and a taxiway. Several other missiles impacted the Tel Nof Airbase, a school in the nearby town of Gedera, and an area north of Tel Aviv near the headquarters of the Israeli intelligence services Mossad and Unit 8200, resulting in damage to homes and a restaurant.
Iravani urged the UN Security Council to end what he described as the impunity of a regime that flagrantly defies international law and destabilizes the region. Iravani also warned that the continued silence of the Council would only embolden this “terrorist regime” to commit more atrocious crimes.
