Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh

Hamas on Tuesday named Yahya Sinwar, the man Israel says masterminded the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Gaza war, as its new political chief following last week's killing of his predecessor Ismail Haniyeh.

The announcement came with the Middle East on edge as it awaited Iran's retaliation over the killing of Haniyeh in Tehran.

Athens is preparing for a potential evacuation of Greek nationals from the Middle East as regional tensions escalate.

Military and political resources may be mobilized for evacuations from the region, including Lebanon and Israel, with Cyprus as the first stop. Greece has also offered to assist in evacuating citizens of other nationalities.

A suspected rocket attack on Monday resulted in injuries to several US personnel stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, as reported by a Pentagon spokesperson. The attack's impact is still being assessed, with more information expected to be released later.

Vehicles drive past a huge banner showing the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, left, who was killed in an assassination last week, joining hands with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a square in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.

Long-standing ties, political power in the Islamic world, legitimacy in the broader Middle East, and millions of dollars are involved in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s relationship with Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh. His assassination has plunged the political leadership of the neighboring country into turmoil.

Turkey urged its citizens in Lebanon to leave the country if they do not need to stay, due to the possibility that the security situation there will deteriorate rapidly, its foreign ministry said late on Sunday.

Middle East tensions soared as Iran and its allies readied their response to the assassination of Hamas's political leader, blamed on Israel, spurring fears of a regional war.