PARIS – Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, the Palestinian militant group said on Wednesday, drawing fears of wider escalation in a region shaken by Israel’s war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of Haniyeh, hours after he attended a swearing in ceremony for the country’s new president, and said it was investing.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that they it will “defend its territorial integrity, dignity, honor, and pride, and will make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly act” of assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, according to Iranian media.
There was no immediate comment from Israel. The Israeli military said it was conducting a situational assessment but had not issued any new security guidelines for civilians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to meet for consultations with security officials at midday (0900 GMT).
U.S. Defense Security Lloyd Austin said Washington would work to try to ease tensions but said the United States would help defend Israel if it were attacked.
“I don’t think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there’s always room and opportunities for diplomacy”, he told reporters during a visit to the Philippines.
The news, which came less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed the Hezbollah commander it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli – occupied Golan Heights, appears to set back chances of any imminent ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
“This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas”, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
He said Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that ruled Gaza, would continue the path it was following, adding: “We are confident of victory”.
Qatar, which has been brokering talks aimed at halting the fighting in Gaza, condemned Haniyeh’s killing as a dangerous escalation of the conflict. China and Russia have also condemned the assassination.
Iran’s top security body met to decide Iran’s strategy in reaction to the death of Haniyeh, a close ally of Tehran, in the Iranian capital, said a source with knowledge of the situation.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing of Haniyeh and Palestinian factions in the occupied West Bank called for a general strike and mass demonstrations.
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