Israeli FM: Election of Yahya Sinwar proves Palestinian issue is under Iran’s control

Asif Merchant, 46, faces a charge of murder for hire after prosecutors say he paid $5,000 to an undercover FBI agent posing as a hitman.

Merchant, who frequently traveled to Iran, Syria, and Iraq and allegedly has a wife and children in Iran, reportedly discussed a complex plot targeting a political figure under heavy security. He was arrested in July and is currently being held in New York.

According to the Justice Department's indictment, Merchant arrived in the US from Pakistan in April following a two-week stay in Iran. Upon arrival, he contacted an individual he believed could facilitate the assassination plot. This contact, however, reported Merchant to the authorities.

The indictment describes how Merchant allegedly made a "finger gun" gesture when discussing his intentions and emphasized that the operation would not be a "one-time opportunity" and would be "ongoing", suggesting other plots may be afoot. He purportedly planned to leave the US before the targets were killed, maintaining communication through code words.

In June, the contact introduced Merchant to undercover FBI agents posing as hitmen. Merchant allegedly instructed them to steal documents from the home of a target, stage protests at political rallies, and assassinate a "political person." The targets were to be revealed in late August or early September.

While the indictment does not specify the targets, sources have indicated that Trump was one of them. The former president, who ordered the killing of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in 2020, is already under increased security measures due to an Iranian plot against him, revealed in June. Iranian officials have repeatedly threatened revenge against Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Advisor John Bolton for Soleimani's targeted killing.

FBI Director Christopher Wray described the latest scheme as a "dangerous murder-for-hire plot straight out of the Iranian playbook." He stressed that any foreign-directed plot against a US official is a severe threat to national security and will be met with the full force of the FBI.

The plot is unrelated to a previous assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, where a Secret Service sniper shot a 20-year-old assailant.

Iran’s response to the Israeli assassination of a senior Hamas official in Tehran is taking longer than expected, US intelligence sources told Al Arabiya on Tuesday.
While initial assessments had predicted an early-week attack, the latest information suggests any retaliation may now be delayed until late Thursday or Friday.

It is believed that Iran will wait until after Wednesday’s meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah before taking any action.

The University of Tehran announced that a building will be named after assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The Tehran City Council has also approved naming a street in the capital after Haniyeh.

German airline giant Lufthansa announced on Wednesday that it will avoid using Iranian and Iraqi airspace until August 13, extending its earlier decision due to high tensions in the Middle East.

In addition to this, Lufthansa has extended the suspension of its services to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman, and Erbil until the same date.

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis expressed his concerns about escalating risks in the region during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani.

On Tuesday, he highlighted Switzerland’s dedication to prioritizing restraint.

“I conveyed Switzerland’s commitment to prioritizing restraint, moderation, and pursuing a diplomatic path to ease tensions,” Cassis wrote on X.