Top Iranian officials are scheduled to meet with representatives from Iran’s regional allies, including Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen, on Thursday. The purpose of this gathering is to discuss potential retaliatory actions against Israel following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The region is facing a heightened risk of a wider conflict between Israel, Iran, and its proxies, fueled by the recent events. The assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, along with the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in an Israeli strike near Beirut on Tuesday, has significantly escalated tensions.
Representatives from Iran’s Palestinian allies, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, along with Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi movement, Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and Iraqi resistance groups are expected to attend the meeting in Tehran. Sources familiar with the situation have confirmed the attendance, but requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. A senior Iranian official with direct knowledge of the meeting stated that Iran and its resistance members will conduct a thorough assessment following the Tehran meeting to determine the most effective means of retaliation against Israel. Another Iranian official revealed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards will be present.
General Mohammad Baqeri, Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, stated on Thursday that Iran and the resistance front are currently reviewing their response to the recent events. He emphasized that a response is inevitable and that Israel will face consequences. Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh shortly after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran on Wednesday. Israeli officials, however, have not claimed responsibility for the attack, which has drawn threats of revenge on Israel and heightened concerns that the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza could escalate into a broader war in the Middle East.
In response to the rising tensions, Israeli air force chief Tomer Bar, addressing a military graduation ceremony in Israel on Wednesday, warned that Israel would act against anyone threatening its citizens. He stated that Israel is prepared to defend its interests and has deployed substantial aerial defense capabilities throughout the country. Haniyeh and the leader of the Islamic Jihad, Ziad al-Nakhala, along with senior representatives of Yemen’s Tehran-backed Houthi movement and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, were present at the inauguration ceremony for Iran’s new president in Tehran on Tuesday. Sources close to Hezbollah confirmed that the group’s deputy leader Naim Qassim and lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah attended the inauguration ceremony and have remained in Iran for the funeral and the upcoming meeting.
Hamas’ armed wing issued a statement declaring that Haniyeh’s killing would escalate the conflict and have significant repercussions. The group vowed to retaliate, and Iran has accused the United States of sharing responsibility due to its support for Israel. An Iraqi militia local commander revealed that Iran had summoned key commanders of the Iraqi resistance groups to an urgent meeting in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss retaliatory actions against recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq, as well as the US strike in Iraq. Another militia source confirmed that the resistance group commanders traveled to Tehran for Haniyeh’s funeral and to participate in a high-level meeting aimed at determining the next steps to retaliate against Israel and the United States.
Thousands of Iranians participated in a public mourning ceremony for Haniyeh on Thursday, a day after his assassination. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency that all fronts of the resistance will seek revenge for Haniyeh’s death. The Iran-backed Axis of Resistance includes Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and various Shi’ite armed groups in Iraq and Syria. In April 2023, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Israel in what it described as retaliation for a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy compound in Damascus. However, nearly all of the projectiles were intercepted by Israel’s air defense systems. Esmail Kosari, a former senior Revolutionary Guards Commander, told state TV that Iran’s response to Haniyeh’s assassination would be stronger than previous retaliations.
