Iranian Supreme Leader declared hours after Ismail Haniyeh assassination in Tehran that it is “Tehran’s duty” to avenge the murder of Hamas leader, according to Reuters. Ali Khamenei clarified that Iran must respond as the killing took place in Iranian territory. He asserted that Tel Aviv deserved “harsh punishment” since it had given a justification for it. Khamenei and Haniyeh had a meeting a day earlier, on Tuesday, before the inauguration of the Iranian president for which Hamas leader was in Tehran.
Israeli prime minister will call an emergency meeting of the security cabinet on Wednesday, according to his office. The gathering takes place after senior Hamas and Hezbollah figures were killed and a response was promised by the Iranian leader.
Israel has been fighting on multiple fronts in recent weeks. Apart from the battle in Gaza, Israel’s engagement with Houthi troops in Yemen and its escalating confrontations with Hezbollah in Lebanon has alarmed an imminent regional escalation. The most recent development in Tehran has added another front with Tehran rarely ignoring the transgression into its soil.
Details about Haniyeh’s assassination is yet to be announced. While Israel has evaded from accepting responsibility, Tehran and Hamas have unanimously blamed Tel Aviv for the assassination.
