Iran’s supreme leader orders strike on Israel to retaliate for Ismail Haniyeh assassination
Iran’s supr𒁏eme leader ordered a direct strike on Israel hours after top Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an airstrike early Wednesday, according to a report Wednesday.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued the command during an 🐼emergency meeting of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, which convened shortly after the assassination, the , citing three Iranian officials briefed on the matter.
Iran and Hamas both blamed Israel f𒊎or the deadly airstrike on Haniyeh, though Israel has not commented o😼n the killing.
Haniyeh, who was the Palestinian terror group’s political leader, was in Iran for the inauguration of the country’s new president when he was killed.
It was not immediately clear what options Iran forces would pursue, but military commanders are considering a combination of drones and missil♕es that would target military facilities near Tel Aviv and Haifa, according to the Times, citing the Iranian officials.
The strikes would🐠 attempt to 🔥avoid civilian casualties, the officials claimed.
In April, Iran launched 300 missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard generals in Syria. Israel, with the𒀰 help of the US and Jo🐻rdan, intercepted 99% of the incoming munitions.
Once again, Iran is weighing a coordinated attack that would involve other alౠlied militant groups from Yemen, Syria and Iꦗraq, the newspaper reported.
Khameni also ordered commanders from the Revolutionary Guards and army to get ready an attack and defensive plans in case the conflict widens with either strikes 💯from Israel or the United States hitting the country, the officials said.
The assassination on Hani🍰yeh has infuriated Iran, prompting꧑ its leaders to publicly vow revenge on Israel.
Hamas said shortly after the killing that its leader w𝕴as killed “in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of Iran’s new president.”
While Israel has neither confirmed nor denied it was behiಌnd Haniyeh’s killing, the Jewish state has said it would hunt down Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders following the Oct. 7 atta⛦ck by the terror group that killed 1,200 people.
Without mentioning the killing, Israeli Prime Minister B༺enjamin Netanyahu said Israel “will exact a very hea⛄vy price from any aggression against us on any front.”
“There are challenging days ahead,” he said.
Haniyeh’s death comes as negotiations continue in hopes of stopping the fighting in Gaza – at least temporarily – ♊and freeing the remaining Israeli hostages.
Israel also carried 🍌out a strike Tues🐼day in Beirut where Israeli leaders said it killed a top Hezbollah commander who was allegedly behind a rocket strike in Israeli-controlled Golan Height that killed 12 children over the weekend.
With Post wires
