Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered a direct military strike on Israel in response to the killing of top Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh.
The order was issued during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, convened shortly after Haniyeh’s assassination, according to a report by the New York Times.
Haniyeh, who was the political leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was killed in an Israeli airstrike early Wednesday. The airstrike occurred while Haniyeh was in Iran for the inauguration of the country’s new president. Both Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that resulted in Haniyeh’s death. However, Israeli officials have yet to comment on the incident.
The assassination of Haniyeh has significantly heightened tensions in the Middle East. The decision by Khamenei to order a retaliatory strike reflects the severity of the response from Iran. The New York Times report cites three Iranian officials who were briefed on the matter, revealing that the Supreme National Security Council’s meeting was called urgently in the wake of the assassination.
This development comes at a time of already strained relations between Iran and Israel, and it threatens to destabilize the region further. The killing of Haniyeh is expected to escalate the ongoing conflict between the two nations and may have broader implications for regional stability.
As the situation evolves, the international community closely monitors the potential consequences of Iran’s retaliatory actions and the broader impact on Middle Eastern geopolitics.
