Iran's Supreme Leader orders direct strike on Israel following elimination of Haniyeh - report
The directive, reported by the New York Times and attributed to three Iranian sources, was issued during an emergency meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct strike on Israel following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
The directive, reported by the New York Times and attributed to three Iranian sources, was issued during an emergency meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.
Haniyeh, a prominent figure in Hamas, was killed early Wednesday morning in what is believed to be a targeted assassination by Israel.
He had traveled from Qatar to Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
The attack has not been publicly acknowledged by Israel, and the United States has stated that it had no involvement or prior knowledge of the assassination.
In response to the rising tensions, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin reaffirmed the United States' "unwavering commitment" to Israel's security.
He assured that Washington would support Israel if needed, underscoring the strong military and diplomatic ties between the two nations.