Israeli defense minister claims responsibility for killing Hamas leader Haniyeh for 1st time

JERUSALEM, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday admitted for the first time that Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran's capital Tehran.

Speaking at a Defense Ministry event, Katz also issued a warning to Houthi forces in Yemen after they launched another drone attack earlier on Monday, which the Israeli military said was intercepted by its air defense systems.

"We will strike the Houthis hard, target their strategic infrastructure, and decapitate their leaders -- just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon," Katz said.

Haniyeh was killed on July 31 in a strike during a visit to Tehran to attend former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's funeral. Both Hamas and Iran accused Israel of carrying out the assassination.

The Israeli military has previously claimed responsibility for killing Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in southern Gaza and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahieh. ■