Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered direct strikes against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. International reports indicate that Khamenei issued these orders during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
Tehran and Hamas have accused Israel of orchestrating Haniyeh’s assassination. Israel has previously conducted targeted operations abroad, including attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists and military personnel.
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During nearly ten months of conflict in Gaza, Iran has supported Gaza while trying to avoid a full-scale confrontation. Iran recently launched its most significant attack on Israel in decades, deploying hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its embassy in Damascus that resulted in the deaths of several Iranian military commanders.
Details of Tehran’s attack are still unclear, but military officials are considering strategies involving drones and missiles aimed at military sites near Tel Aviv and Haifa while avoiding civilian areas.
Haniyeh’s assassination has caused global shock and heightened concerns about Iran’s capacity to prevent Israeli operations on its soil. Supporters of the Iranian government have expressed outrage over the security failure, calling for internal reforms to ensure the safety of senior officials. Journalist Alireza Katebi Jahromi emphasized the need to focus on protecting the supreme leader before seeking revenge.
