Iran likely to launch air and ground attacks on Israel

Iran may carry out coordinated air and ground attacks on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas' political bureau, in Tehran, according to Iran’s Permanent Mission to the UN.

“Iran's response should have two clear results. First, it must punish the aggressor for terror and violation of Iran's national sovereignty. Second, it should strengthen Iran's deterrence power and bring the (Israel) regime's deep remorse to prevent any future aggression,” the permanent mission said, News.Az reports citing Iranian media.

However, the Iranian mission also stressed that Tehran aims to avoid disrupting ongoing negotiations concerning the Gaza Strip conflict, where Israeli forces are engaged in military operations against Hamas. The response will be calibrated to prevent any negative impact on potential ceasefire efforts.

The Palestinian Hamas movement announced on July 31 that the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that Haniyeh was killed by a short-range projectile with a warhead weighing about seven kilograms, adding that his assassination was organized by Israel with US support. Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that Israel will be severely punished for the killing of the Palestinian politician.

News.Az