Since launching its retaliatory war in Gaza, Israel claims to have eliminated the leaders of militant groups including, Sinwar, the mastermind of the 7 October attack on Israel, and Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an airstrike on a building complex in Beirut.

Iran on Tuesday denounced what it termed Israel's "brazen admission" of having killed former Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this year, accusing the country of having carried out a "heinous crime" and defending its missile-strike response.

On Sept 27, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Nasrallah in a Beirut bombing, which was followed by the killing of Haniyeh's successor Sinwar on Oct 16 in Gaza. Israeli officials said Sinwar masterminded the Oct 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel, which sparked Israel's current military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's defence minister has admitted that Israel killed Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. Israel has also vowed to target the heads of the Iran-backed Houthi movement.

Israel has admitted responsibility for assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran last summer. In a speech on Monday, Foreign Minister Israel Katz acknowledged that Israeli forces were behind the killing of Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Tehran in July.

By bne Tehran bureau Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has publicly claimed responsibility for the July killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, making the first official acknowledgement of the operation,

Defence chief Israel Katz publicly admitted to killing Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July, further risks tensions between Iran and Israel.

Hamas on Monday said the Israel Defense Forces killed or wounded at least 50 people in an air and ground assault on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. ABC News’ Ines de La Cuetara reports.