According to the New York Times, Iran has issued a threat to strike Israel, escalating tensions in the region and raising concerns about potential conflict.
An exchange of direct fire between the countries earlier this year raised concerns about a potential full-scale war.
According to The New York Times (NYT), Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, has instructed a targeted attack on Israel as retribution for the recent death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
According to the newspaper citing three anonymous Iranian officials, Khamenei apparently issued this directive following an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning in response to the missile attack.
While attending the inauguration of Masoud Pezeshkian, the new President in Iran’s capital city, Haniyeh experienced tragic consequences when a missile targeted his lodging on Wednesday. This attack resulted in both him and one of his bodyguards losing their lives.
On Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader stated that it is their responsibility to seek retribution. Khamenei expressed his disapproval towards Israel for assaulting Haniyeh during his stay as a “cherished visitor in our abode.”
The Jewish State has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the assassination.
After the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis and over 250 people taken hostage, Israel pledged to eliminate Haniyeh and other leaders from the group. The military operation conducted by Israel has led to more than 39,000 Palestinian fatalities within Gaza’s borders per local health officials. This bombing campaign has created significant tension with Iran.
In April, an Israeli attack on a Syrian-based Iranian embassy led to Iran launching numerous missiles and drones directly at Israel. This retaliatory strike caused the US and other countries to send air and naval forces in support of Israeli air defenses.
The New York Times wrote that it is uncertain as to the level of retaliatory action Iran will take following Wednesday’s attack on Tehran in which Haniyeh was killed.
According to Iranian officials, the country’s military leaders are contemplating a mixed assault comprising of both drones and missiles on military sites around Tel Aviv and Haifa. However, they emphasized that their intentions were not to target civilian areas in any way.
As per sources cited by the newspaper, an alternative course of action is executing a synchronized assault involving Iran and its allied forces in regions such as Yemen, Syria, and Iraq to attain optimal results.
