Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed revenge upon hearing about the Wednesday assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
“The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our home and made us sad, but it also prepared a harsh punishment for itself,” Khamenei wrote on his website.
“Martyr Haniyeh was willing to sacrifice his honorable life in this dignified battle for many years,” he added. “He was prepared for martyrdom and had sacrificed his children and loved ones on this path. He was not afraid of being martyred on the path of God and in order to save the lives of God’s servants. However, following this bitter, tragic event which has taken place within the borders of the Islamic Republic, we believe it is our duty to take revenge.”
In response to Haniyeh’s assassination, Iran’s government announced three days of mourning, and Iran is investigating the incident right now without providing any details. No one has claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s assassination.
Nonetheless, Iran quickly pointed the finger at Israel because Israel had previously threatened to deal with Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders after their attack against him on October 7 claimed the lives of 1,200 people and 250 others were abducted.
Israel has not commented on the assassination, and it generally does not address assassinations carried out by the Mossad intelligence agency.
Still, it is expected that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a judgment meeting with leaders of the defense establishment in the aftermath of Haniyeh’s assassination. Jewish institutions worldwide are on high alert.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced that the U.S. will work to calm the tensions, but it will support Israel if it were to be attacked.
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri slammed Israel’s actions, saying, “This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas and the will of our people and achieve fake goals. We confirm that this escalation will fail to achieve its objectives.”
At least 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 90,000 injured in the conflict.
