Iran holds symbolic funeral for Hamas leader killed in Tehran

Israel's national security council warned Israelis on Thursday to exercise extra caution when travelling abroad and said Iran or its allies Hamas and Hezbollah could target Israeli or Jewish institutions outside the country.

The warning, in a statement issued through the prime minister's office, came amid growing fears in Israel of a attack by its enemies in retaliation for the assassination of senior leaders from Hezbollah and Hamas this week.

Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that the war with Israel has entered a “new phase” following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.

“We are in an open battle on all fronts and the conflict has entered a new phase," Nasrallah said.

He added, "Iran considers Haniyeh's assassination an attack on its honor and dignity because he was a guest...Israel does not know to what extent it has crossed red lines."

Despite several countries urging Hezbollah not to retaliate, Nasrallah warned, "The enemy must wait for revenge."

Nasrallah further denied Hezbollah's involvement in Saturday’s deadly rocket attack on Majdal Shams, calling it "the greatest deception and misinformation."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during a phone call on Wednesday, asked Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to convey a message to Iran and Hezbollah to "de-escalate and not retaliate" in response to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to a source cited by CNN.

Al Thani agreed to pass on the message, the source said.

A readout of their phone call published by the State Department on Wednesday said Blinken and Al Thani "discussed ongoing tensions in the Middle East" and the "importance of continuing to work to reach a ceasefire to the conflict in Gaza" without mentioning Blinken’s message to Iran and Hezbollah.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, The new York Times reported citing multiple sources.

The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, and was detonated remotely after he was confirmed to be inside the room, the report said.

IRGC commander Qassem Soleimani’s deputy and former MP, Mansour Haghighatpour, condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran as a grave incident with extensive political, security, and regional ramifications.

Haghighatpour told Rouydad 24 that the killing "casts a negative light on Iran's security officials" and called for accountability among certain political, military, and security officials, suggesting that "some may need to be dismissed."

Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces, stated that Tehran is mulling over the method to avenge the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

He emphasized, "This action will undoubtedly take place. A range of measures must be implemented, and the Zionists will inevitably come to regret it."

Abdollah Ganji, the former editor of the IRGC-linked Javan newspaper, wrote on X that the Islamic Republic has officially informed the Arab countries in the region that if they provide their airspace to Israel, they will become a 'legitimate target.'

Some media outlets attributed this message to Ali Bagheri Kani, the acting foreign minister.

Iran’s president Pezeshkian told Hamas deputy chief in Gaza Khalil Al-Hayya that his government and the leader of the Islamic Republic "will not waver in their support for Palestine."

He emphasized, "We will continue to support and back the axis of resistance with even greater determination."

The term "axis of resistance," coined by the Islamic Republic, refers to its network of proxy forces in the region. This includes Palestinian militant groups, the Syrian regime, the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah, and various other factions.

A newly unveiled billboard in Tehran features an image of Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, clasping the hand of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political bureau, who was assassinated in Tehran on Wednesday.

This image, taken from Pezeshkian and Haniyeh's meeting in the Iranian Parliament during the inauguration ceremony, features a quote from Pezeshkian: "Yesterday, I raised the hand of a victor, and today I must carry him on my shoulders."

The billboard is displayed in Vali Asr Square, a significant symbolic tool for the establishment’s political propaganda.