Thousands of mourners gathered in Iran for the funeral procession of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in a strike in Tehran on Wednesday. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led the prayers before Haniyeh’s body was transported to Qatar for burial.
According to US media reports, Iranian officials have accused Israel of being responsible for the assassination and indicated that the supreme leader has ordered a direct retaliation against Israel. Israel has not officially commented on the assassination.
However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel had delivered “crushing blows” to its enemies, referencing recent actions including the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon just hours before the Tehran strike.
Netanyahu cautioned that “challenging days lie ahead” and expressed readiness for any scenario, emphasising national unity and determination amidst growing fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, warned against a “dangerous escalation” of hostilities in the region.
Hamas’s armed wing stated that Haniyeh’s death, seen as a major blow to the group, would “take the battle to new dimensions” and have significant repercussions. Haniyeh had been involved in negotiations over a ceasefire in Gaza and was killed shortly after attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Tehran.
A senior Hamas official reported that the assassination occurred in the same building where Haniyeh had stayed during previous visits to Iran, and confirmed that three other Hamas leaders and several guards were also present.
In related events, Israel confirmed the killing of senior Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Shukr was believed to be responsible for a recent rocket attack that killed 12 people in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, although Hezbollah has denied any involvement.
The group acknowledged that Shukr’s body was found among the rubble of a building targeted in the attack, which also resulted in the deaths of four others, including two children.
Follow us on:
