Iranian Leader Khamenei Declares Tehran’s Duty to Avenge Hamas’ Haniyeh, Promises Severe Retribution Against Israel

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promises “harsh punishment” for Israel following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday.

Khamenei stated, “With this action, the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground for harsh punishment for itself, and we consider it our duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” in a statement reported by the official news agency IRNA.

Haniyeh was in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday. Details of Haniyeh’s death have not been disclosed by Iran, and the Revolutionary Guard is currently investigating the attack.

Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas official, stated to the Hamas-affiliated Shehab news agency that the killing “is a cowardly act that will not go unanswered.” Multiple media outlets also report that he has threatened retaliation for the incident.

Israel has not acknowledged responsibility for the death of Haniyeh, who was killed early in the morning. Israeli government spokesman David Mencer stated during a briefing with journalists, “We are not commenting on that particular incident.”

In recent months, Hamas’ leadership has suffered considerable losses. In January, Saleh al-Arouri, a prominent Hamas leader responsible for the group’s terrorist operations in Lebanon, was killed in Beirut. In mid-July, Israel launched a targeted strike against Hamas leader Muhammed Deif and Rafa’a Salameh, a brigade commander in Gaza. This action significantly destabilized the leadership structure of Hamas in Gaza.

Both Haniyeh and Deif were on the list of individuals sought by the International Criminal Court for indictments related to events on October 7.

BACKGROUND

Born on January 29, 1963, in the Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh’s began his political career closely aligned with the movement’s founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Haniyeh advanced through the ranks to emerge as a prominent leader within the organization.

In 2017, Ismail Haniyeh was elected as the head of Hamas’s political bureau, taking over from Khaled Meshaal. His election to this pivotal role marked him as one of the organization’s most influential figures.

The US government designated Ismail Haniyeh as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, an action intended to restrict his access to international financial systems and resources. This designation highlighted the international community’s perspective on Haniyeh’s involvement in planning and supporting acts of terrorism against the United States, Israel and its allies.

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