Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. In addition to Ibrahim Haniyeh, Iran also stated that Israel killed two Hamas leaders and some guards. Khamenei made the order during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning, shortly after Iran announced that Haniya had been killed.
Ibrahim Haniyeh was the mastermind behind the attacks by Hamas on Israel. He was in Iran for the inauguration of the new president. Iran and Hamas blamed Israel for the killing. Israel, which is at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, killed Haniyeh, who was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. Israel has yet to make any significant response or claim responsibility for the killing.
Israel has a long history of assassinating its enemies abroad, including Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders. Through nearly 10 months of war in Gaza, Iran has tried to strike a balance, avoiding all-out war between the two countries, and putting pressure on Israel through sharply increased attacks by allies and proxy forces in the region.
In April, Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones in its largest and most public attack against Israel in retaliation for an Israeli attack on the Israeli embassy compound in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed several Iranian military commanders.
It is unclear how strongly Iran will respond and whether it will strike again. Iran’s military commanders are considering another combined attack of drones and missiles on military targets near Tel Aviv and Haifa. But Iranian officials said they would make a point of avoiding strikes on civilian targets.
