Khamenei announces "severe punishment", Turkey accuses Israel of escalation
Hamas Leader Haniyeh Killed in Attack on Iranian Soil. Tehran Reacts with Outrage: Haniyeh's Blood Will Be Israel's Downfall. Turkey Speaks of Escalation by Israel. Kremlin Also Responds.
The death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has sparked sharp reactions from some of the terror organization's allies. Iran, where Haniyeh was killed in an attack in the capital Tehran, condemned the killing in the strongest terms. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed retribution, saying on his website, "The criminal Zionist regime (Israel) has murdered our guest in our home. There will be a harsh punishment."
"The pure blood of the holy and honorable warrior Ismail Haniyeh has certainly not been shed in vain," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani in a statement. Kanaani said this blood would ultimately be Israel's downfall.
The attack on Haniyeh will also strengthen the relationship between the Palestinian resistance front and Iran, the spokesman said, according to the news agency Isna. He provided no details about the attack, saying only that the security authorities were still investigating the causes and the course of the incident.
New Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian threatened retaliation. Iran will ensure that "the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly act," Peseschkian said, according to state media. Israel is also referred to as the occupier of Palestinian territory in Iran. Iran will defend its territorial integrity, dignity, honor, and pride, Peseschkian added in his statement, which was circulated by Iranian media.
Turkey accused Israel of trying to escalate the Gaza conflict to an international level. It was once again clear that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of achieving peace, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement referred to a "heinous murder."
USA Backs Israel
Russia described the incident as an "absolutely unacceptable political murder that will lead to a further escalation of tensions," RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying. This will also have negative implications for negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Russia maintains relations with Israel, but has even closer ties with Israel's enemy countries Iran and Syria, as well as the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas.
The USA stood by Israel. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US would defend the country if it were attacked. Speaking during a visit to the Philippines, Austin said he did not believe a larger war in the region was inevitable, despite the rising tensions.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called it a "cowardly act" in a statement. The head of the Palestinian Authority spoke of a "dangerous development." The secretary-general of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Hussein Al-Sheikh, wrote on the X platform that his organization condemned "the murder of the national leader" Haniyeh. He called for unity among the different Palestinian groups and factions. A coalition of different political groups in the West Bank called for a general strike and confrontation with Israeli soldiers at checkpoints in response to Haniyeh's death. It was unclear whether this would involve demonstrations or attacks.
The Houthi militia, allied with Hamas, condemned the assassination of Qassem Soleimani as "an abhorrent terrorist act". It was "a brazen violation of laws and moral values", wrote Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, a member of the Houthi politburo, on Twitter.
Hezbollah from Lebanon vowed that Soleimani's death would lead to more resistance against Israel. He was "one of the great resistance fighters of our time, bravely standing against U.S. hegemony and Zionist occupation", Hezbollah said. He was ready to die for the cause he believed in. His death, they said, would only strengthen "resistance fighters on all fronts" and "their resolve to confront the Zionist enemy".
Both Hamas and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps reported Soleimani's killing in the early morning hours, saying he was killed in an attack in Tehran after attending the inauguration ceremony of new Iranian President Massoud Peschkani. The attack is attributed to Israel, but there has been no official statement from the Israeli government.
The following statement from Turkey's Foreign Ministry echoes their condemnation of the attack: "We strongly condemn the attack on Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and hold Israel accountable for this heinous act." Furthermore, Iran's new President, Massoud Peseschkian, reiterated Iran's commitment to retaliation, stating, "The blood of our guest, Ismail Haniyeh, will not be forgotten, and we will ensure that Israel regrets this act of aggression."
