Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered a retaliatory attack during an emergency meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on the morning of July 31, right after Iran announced the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh, the New York Times reported. news from three Iranian officials, including two members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran and Hamas accused Israel - which is at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip - of being behind the latest assassination that shocked the Middle East.
The New York Times noted that during nearly 10 months of fighting in Gaza, Iran attempted to create balance, putting pressure on Israel with increased attacks by allies and proxy forces in the region. avoid a full-scale war between the two countries.
In April this year, Iran launched its largest and most public attack on Israel in decades, launching hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria left a number of high-ranking generals dead. However, this retaliation was forewarned, causing nearly all weapons to be shot down by Israel and its allies, causing negligible damage.
Iranian officials revealed that military commanders are considering another combined attack with drones and missiles on military targets in the area around Tel Aviv and Haifa, avoiding attacks on targets. Civil.
One option to attack Israel being considered is a coordinated attack from Iran and other fronts along with allies, including Yemen, Syria and Iraq, to achieve maximum effectiveness.
Ayatollah Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters and is also Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces in Iran, instructed military commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Iran and its military are preparing both offensive and defensive plans in case fighting expands and Israel or the United States attacks Iran, officials added.
In a statement after the death of Hamas leader Haniyeh, Mr. Khamenei affirmed that Iran would retaliate directly. "We consider it our duty to avenge his blood," since the assassination occurred on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He emphasized that Israel has created the context to receive "severe punishment".
Iran and the regional forces it backs - Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and various militias in Iraq - form the "axis of resistance". The leaders of these groups were present in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian on July 30. The Hamas leader was assassinated at around 2:00 a.m. on July 31, local time, after attending the inauguration ceremony of the Iranian president and meeting Mr. Khamenei.
The assassination of the Hamas leader shocked Iranian officials and was considered an act that crossed a red line. The assassination of Mr. Haniyeh at a heavily guarded Revolutionary Guard guest house on a day of tight security in the capital was considered by Iranian officials as an insult to the country's security apparatus, saying sees anyone in Iran, at any level, can be targeted and killed.
Analysts said Iran considered the retaliatory attack necessary to avenge the assassination of Mr. Haniyeh and at the same time to deter Israel from continuing to attack other prominent figures in the region such as Hassan Nasrallah - the prime minister. leader of Hezbollah, or General Ismail Qaani - commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
