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Israel's defence minister has warned the country will act against Iran in the way it did with its proxies in the region, including Hamas and Hezbollah, days after an attack on Ben Gurion airport by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
"I warn ... Iranian leaders who finance, arm and exploit the Houthi terrorist organisation: the proxy system is terminated and the axis of evil has collapsed," Israel Katz said in a statement on Thursday.
"You are directly responsible. What we have done to Hezbollah in Beirut, to Hamas in Gaza, to Assad in Damascus, we will do to you in Tehran," he said, referring to ousted Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.
Along with Hezbollah and Hamas, Yemen's Houthi rebels are part of Iran's "axis of resistance" against Israel and its ally the US.
Lebanon-based Hezbollah began launching attacks on Israel in October 2023 in support of its ally Hamas following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
In a year of hostilities that ended with a November truce, the Israeli army all but crushed Hezbollah, while Hamas's leadership has also been decimated.
Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked Israel's main airport near Tel Aviv on Sunday, part of a campaign they say is in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Iran has denied supporting the Houthis in their attack.
“Undoubtedly, the Yemeni actions in support of the Palestinian people are independent decisions rooted in their human and Islamic solidarity with their Palestinian brothers and sisters,” said Iran's Foreign Ministry earlier this week.
Israel hit back against the Houthis with strikes on the airport in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as well as on power stations in and around the city.
Hours later, the US and the Houthis reached a ceasefire agreement, mediator Oman announced, saying the deal would ensure "freedom of navigation" in the Red Sea, where the rebels have attacked shipping.
But the Houthis have vowed to continue targeting Israel and Israeli ships in the sea. They said the ceasefire with the US does not include Israel.
Mr Katz said in the statement that "Israel must be able to defend itself on its own against any threat and any enemy".
"The Houthis will suffer heavy blows from Israel if they continue to fire at us."
