Iran supreme leader Khamenei orders attack on Israel to avenge Ismail Haniye assassination: Report

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued an order on Wednesday, July 31, to strike Israel. This directive was reportedly in retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran while attending the inauguration of the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

In a public statement, Khamenei declared, “We see avenging his blood as our duty,” emphasizing that the assassination occurred on Iranian soil. Other Iranian leaders, including President Pezeshkian, have also affirmed that the nation has a right to defend itself against violations of its sovereignty.

According to The New York Times, which cited three Iranian officials, the order was issued during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning, shortly after the announcement of Haniyeh’s death.

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out the assassination, a charge that Tel Aviv has neither confirmed nor denied. Israel has a history of targeting its adversaries, including Iranian nuclear scientists and military commanders abroad.

Throughout the ongoing 10-month war in Gaza, Iran has sought to avoid a full-scale war while exerting pressure on Israel through various means. In April, after decades of hostility, Iran launched a significant attack on Israel, firing hundreds of missiles and drones. This assault was in response to an Israeli attack on Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, which resulted in the deaths of several Iranian military commanders.

However, according to The New York Times, the Iranian attack caused minimal damage as most of the weapons were intercepted by Israel and its allies.