Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi communicated on Friday with his French and British counterparts, indicating that while Iran does not seek to escalate the regional conflict, it retains the right to respond to Israel's assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Türkiye on Friday strongly condemned a social media post by Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, blasting it as "slander" and "disinformation."

Hamas has decided not to participate in the upcoming round of peace negotiations with Israel, as confirmed by a representative of the movement in Lebanon.

Iranians follow a truck, center, carrying the coffins of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard during their funeral ceremony at Enqelab-e-Eslami (Islamic Revolution) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Aug. 1, 2024.

Iran on Tuesday rejected Western calls to stand down its threat to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month.

The Islamic republic and its allies have blamed Israel for Haniyeh's killing on July 31 during a visit to the Iranian capital for the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel has not commented.

Vehicles drive past a huge billboard depicting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) and slain Palestinian Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at Tehran's Valiasr square on August 12, 2024.

The United States and European allies called on Iran to "stand down" Monday, as fears mounted of an imminent attack on Israel that could spark an all-out war in the Middle East.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has hosted Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the Turkish capital to discuss the growing regional escalation following Israel's killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.

Less than a week after the killing of a top Hamas leader in Tehran, Iran, and a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut, the entire Middle East is on edge. Fears of a broader regional war have been mounting amid vows of revenge from Iranian leaders that have left Israel in a state of deep uncertainty.

Why is an Iranian attack expected?

The CEO of I.M. Tattom Consulting Ilan Mizrahi, former deputy director of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency and former national security adviser to the country's prime minister, analyzes the country's strategy of "surgical strikes" and its possible side effects in an interview with Kathimerini.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has called for the "rapid elimination" of Yahya Sinwar, the new leader of Hamas. Sinwar took over the role a week after the death of the previous Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran. Katz's remarks reflect concerns that Sinwar, known for his radical stance, will further intensify the group's aggressive policies.