In an unprecedented admission, Israel publicly acknowledged its involvement in the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
“We have dismantled Hamas, neutralized Hezbollah, blinded Iran’s defenses, and struck the heart of the axis of evil,” Israeli Defense Minister Katz declared on Monday. “We delivered a decisive blow to Haniyeh in Tehran, just as we have to other leaders of terror across Gaza, Lebanon, and beyond. Our message to the Houthis is clear: their fate will be no different.”
Haniyeh was killed on July 31 during a visit to Tehran for the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. An airstrike, described by Iranian media as an “airborne guided projectile,” hit a residence for military veterans where Haniyeh and his bodyguard were staying, killing both. Though Iranian and Palestinian officials immediately accused Israel, it wasn’t until now that Israeli officials confirmed their role.
Regional Fallout
The assassination triggered widespread condemnation and escalated fears of regional conflict. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “harsh retaliation,” and by October, Iran launched missile strikes on Israeli cities, labeling them retribution for the killings of Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.
The strikes targeted central and southern Israel, with injuries reported in Tel Aviv and a fatality in the occupied West Bank from falling debris. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen escalated their missile campaign, claiming a hypersonic missile recently struck a public park in Jaffa, bypassing Israeli defenses.
A Brewing Storm
As Israel tightens its grip in the region and faces retaliatory actions, the assassination of Haniyeh marks another chapter in the escalating tit-for-tat violence. With tensions boiling over from Tehran to Tel Aviv, the region braces for what many fear could become an all-out confrontation.
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