Avenging the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is “Tehran’s duty” because it took place in the Iranian capital, Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday (31).
He said Israel had created grounds for “severe punishment” for itself.
Haniyeh was assassinated early Wednesday in Iran, the Palestinian group and Tehran said, prompting threats of revenge against Israel in a region already shaken by the war in Gaza and a deepening conflict in Lebanon.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed Haniyeh’s death, hours after he attended the inauguration of the country’s new president, and said it was investigating.
Haniyeh, normally based in Qatar, has been the face of Hamas’ international diplomacy as the war sparked by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7 rages in Gaza.
He was participating in internationally mediated negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the Palestinian territory.
Hamas’s armed wing said in a statement that Haniyeh’s killing would “take the battle to new dimensions and have major repercussions”, while Iran declared three days of national mourning and vowed to retaliate.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Israel had provided the grounds for “severe punishment for itself” and that it was Tehran’s duty to avenge the killing of the Hamas leader since it occurred in the Iranian capital. Iranian forces had already launched direct attacks on Israel earlier in the Gaza war.
There was no comment or claim of responsibility from Israel. The Israeli military said it was assessing the situation but did not issue any new security directives for civilians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to meet with security officials for consultations at 10 a.m. ET.
Source: CNN Brasil
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