Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei announced plans for revenge against Israel following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Khamenei stated that the country is ready to deliver severe punishment. In a significant gesture, Iran raised the red flag of revenge over the dome of the Jamkaran mosque in Qom.
Khamenei posted on X, “Following this bitter, tragic event which has taken place within the borders of the Islamic Republic, it is our duty to take revenge. The criminal, terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our territory and has caused our grief, but it has also prepared the ground for severe punishment.”
Hamas announced that its political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in a “treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.” Haniyeh, 62, was in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s newly elected president when he and his bodyguard were killed in the attack, according to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), which accused Israel of the “terrorist attack” and promised a “harsh and painful response.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also issued a statement, asserting that Tehran would defend its territorial integrity and dignity while vowing to make Israel regret its actions. “Martyrdom is the art of men of God. The bond between the two proud nations of Iran and Palestine will be stronger than before, and the path of resistance and defense of the oppressed will be followed stronger than ever. The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honor, dignity, and pride, and make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly action,” Pezeshkian said.
Despite the fiery rhetoric, Iranian expert Hassan Beheshtipour suggested that Iran would seek revenge in a “well-managed” manner to avoid escalating the regional crisis into a comprehensive war. He highlighted Iran’s history of measured responses, such as the response to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria earlier in the year, as examples of Iran’s strategic approach.
The alleged assassination of Haniyeh came a day after Israel claimed responsibility for a strike in Beirut that killed Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fouad Shokor. In response to the deaths of Haniyeh and Shokor, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would respond with overwhelming force to any counter-attacks, stating that the country is prepared “for any scenario” and will exact a heavy price against any aggression.
The situation remains tense, with both nations preparing for potential further escalation while balancing their strategic interests to avoid a full-scale war.
