Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is set to lead prayers at the funeral of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, following Haniyeh’s assassination in an airstrike that has heightened fears of regional escalation. The funeral will be followed by Haniyeh’s body being transferred to Doha, Qatar, for burial. Iran has declared three days of mourning, with Khamenei vowing revenge and calling the attack a “cowardly act.” In Lebanon, Hezbollah will hold a funeral for commander Fuad Shukur, who was killed in an Israeli strike that also claimed the lives of three women and two children.
Hamas officials condemned the killing of Haniyeh, with Deputy Chief Khalil Al-Hayya stating that the assassination was a crime warranting punishment. Israel has not officially commented on the incident, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his country’s readiness to face any threat. The international community, including the UN and countries like China and Russia, has expressed concern over the escalating situation. The U.S. denied involvement in the assassination, while Palestinian factions called for a general strike in response. As the region braces for potential retaliatory actions, the assassination of Haniyeh and Shukur has cast a shadow over peace efforts and raised the stakes for further unrest.
