Politics Iran's Khamenei threatens Israel with harsh punishment
The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has announced retaliation for the death of the political leader of the Islamist Hamas, Ismail Haniya, in Tehran. "The criminal Zionist regime (Israel) has murdered our guest in our house," Khamenei was quoted as saying on his website. "There will be severe punishment." Referring to Haniya, Khamenei went on to say that the whole country was mourning the loss of a brave and holy warrior.
31.07.2024, 13:27
SDA
According to the terrorist organization Hamas this morning, its political leader Hanija was killed in an Israeli attack on a residence in Iran's capital Tehran. Israel has not yet commented on the incident. The spokesperson for the Iranian foreign office had already condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. Haniya's blood will be Israel's undoing, said Nasser Kanaani.
Tehran had also convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to discuss possible Iranian reactions. "This was a cowardly act and those responsible will definitely receive an appropriate response," said Council spokesman Ebrahim Resaei, according to the Irna news agency.
According to the Iranian news agency Tasnim, which is close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), Hanija was fatally hit "by an object from the air" at 2.00 am local time (0.30 am CEST). He was reportedly in a "special residence" in the north of the capital. According to as yet unconfirmed media reports, Hanija is to be buried in Tehran on Thursday. The IRGC announced that they would publish further details on the attack shortly.
Hanija attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new Iranian president, Massud Peseshkian, in parliament in Tehran on Tuesday. He also met with religious leader Khamenei. Peseshkian also condemned the deadly attack. "We will make the terrorist occupiers responsible for this cowardly attack regret their deed," the president wrote on the X platform. Haniya's death will further strengthen Iran's and Palestine's resistance against Israel.
