The news that Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Political Bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), was assassinated in Iran shocked the Middle East and the entire world.
According to the US “New York Times” on July 31, citing three Iranian officials familiar with the matter, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei has ordered a direct attack on Israel in retaliation for Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran. The New York Times said that three anonymous Iranian officials, including two members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that Khamenei issued the order at an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning (July 31). However, the above-mentioned US media said that it is not clear how strong Iran’s response will be, nor whether Iran will adjust again to avoid escalation.
According to AFP on July 31, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei vowed on the 31st to impose “severe punishment” on Israel. Israel was accused of killing Hamas leader Haniyeh in Tehran.
According to the report, Khamenei said in a statement: “This act of the Zionist criminal and terrorist regime has paved the way for its own severe punishment. We believe that we have the responsibility to avenge the blood (Hania) shed on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The report also stated that Iranian President Masoud Pezhechyan also accused Israel of killing Haniyeh in Tehran that day and vowed to make Israel “regret” this “cowardly act.”
Pezhechyan wrote on the social platform X, “Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honor, pride and dignity, and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly acts.” He also paid tribute to the “brave leader” Haniyeh.