Hezbollah MP: Israel wants war, and we are ready for It

Kambiz Ghafouri, a journalist, commented on the circumstances surrounding the death of Ismail Haniyeh, stating that the attack demonstrates Israel's significant intelligence penetration in Iran, as it required meticulous planning days in advance.

Speaking to Iran International, Ghafouri mentioned that if the attack was carried out using guided drones within Iran, it implies that Israel has operational forces inside Iranian territory.

He added that if the airstrike was executed by precision-targeting fighter jets originating from another country, as some reports suggest, it would still indicate Israel's operational capabilities within Iran's borders.

Though details remain scarce, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) early on confirmed that Haniyeh, the chief political leader of the terror group, was targeted at a residence in the capital, along with an Iranian bodyguard. Hamas has corroborated the killing, denouncing it as a “treacherous Zionist raid”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was neither involved in nor made aware of the assassination of the Hamas leader, refusing to respond directly to the news.

Blinken emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, noting its critical importance for the hostages and Palestinian civilians suffering. He stressed the broader regional implications of the conflict and reaffirmed Washington’s efforts to stabilize Gaza and prevent further escalation.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also refrained from commenting directly on the reported assassination, but instead emphasized the urgent need to de-escalate tensions to prevent a wider conflict that could impact the entire region and beyond.

The comments follow Israel's claim on Tuesday of having eliminated a Hezbollah commander allegedly responsible for a deadly attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel has not officially confirmed its role in the assassination of the Hamas leader.

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Condemnations were quickly issued by Iran's allies Russia and China. Moscow has urged all parties to avoid actions that could escalate into a major conflict, while Beijing's foreign ministry warned that the incident might lead to further regional instability.

As Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel over the killing, some politicians in the Western world rejoiced over the death of the Hamas leader.

British Conservative parliamentarian Tom Tugendhat responded to a social media post from Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who vowed revenge for the killing. Tugendhat condemned Tehran as an "evil regime" that "murders hundreds of thousands of innocents at home and abroad and mourns only when their executioners are killed."

Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders openly welcomed the assassination, posting on X, “Good riddance!!” In a separate message, he warned Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, stating, “They will not be too happy now and probably not sleep too well either.”

Regional nations condemn, blame Israel

Numerous Middle Eastern nations have responded to the reported assassination, with many attributing the attack to Israel and warning of heightened regional tensions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination as a “despicable act” intended to undermine the Palestinian cause. He stated that “Zionist cruelty will never accomplish its objectives” and reiterated Turkey’s support for a sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Haniyeh was reportedly scheduled to address Turkey’s parliament in August.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, blaming Israel for the attack, characterized it as a dangerous escalation that jeopardizes peace efforts in an already volatile region.

Israel had previously vowed to target Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders in response to the terror group's October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and approximately 250 hostages.

Qatar also condemned the assassination as a “heinous crime and serious escalation,” with its foreign ministry warning that it, along with “Israel’s reckless behavior,” will lead to regional chaos and “undermine peace prospects.” Qatar, which had hosted Haniyeh and plays a crucial role in cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas over the war in Gaza, criticized the act for its potential destabilizing effects.

Haniyeh, who had led Hamas politically since 2017, had been living in exile in Qatar.

Experts say Iran's security vulnerabilities exploited by Israel

The widely believed Israeli operation would not be the first of its kind. As news of Haniyeh’s death circulated, experts and observers commented on the nature and sophistication of the operation on Iranian soil, offering analysis about how Iran’s security apparatus was so weak that this was able to happen.

Former Australian hostage Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who had been held in Iran for over two years, recently penned an article, arguing that Iranian security agencies have struggled to counter Israeli activities within their country. She attributed this difficulty to the authoritarian nature of the state, which she says values loyalty over skill, resulting in less effective counterintelligence and making it easier for external actors to operate within Iran.

Israel, Moore-Gilbert wrote, has leveraged Tehran’s governance failures and economic issues by likely offering financial rewards or residency to collaborators – with Iran’s internal weaknesses having turned into a major vulnerability.

“Having shown itself over the decades to be impervious to ideological moderation or reform from within, it has become so hated that its own people—its biggest victims—are willing to embrace the possibility that the enemy of their enemy is their friend," she wrote.

Iran expert Karim Sadjadpour took to X, citing Moore-Gilbert’s article, asserting that “Israel has managed to conduct numerous high-level assassinations inside Iran in part due to the Islamic Republic's profound unpopularity and incompetence.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The Jordanian government has condemned the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, stating that the act violates international law and escalates tensions in the region.

In a statement, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the incident could lead to further chaos and instability in the Middle East.

In a statement regarding the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the Prosecutor General's Office warned journalists and social media users to refrain from discussing topics that "disrupt the psychological security of society."

The office also instructed security agencies to monitor cyberspace and report any media outlets or individuals who "spread rumors or disrupt psychological security" to the judiciary.

The statement reads: "Those who, through irresponsible remarks, dissemination of false information, spreading lies, and insults, disturb the psychological security of society will be dealt with according to the law."

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated on Wednesday that he did not believe a wider war in the Middle East was inevitable.

Austin's comments follow Israel's claim on Tuesday of killing a Hezbollah commander responsible for a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on Wednesday.

"I don't think war is inevitable. I maintain that. I think there's always room and opportunities for diplomacy," Austin told reporters during a visit to the Philippines.
He also expressed concern over the situation along Israel's northern border and emphasized efforts to prevent a broader regional conflict.

Asked about the details of Haniyeh's killing, Austin said, "I don't have any additional information to provide."

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh's death, which occurred hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new president, and announced an investigation was underway.