Killing of Hamas chief in Iran stirs fears of retaliation
(VOVWORLD) - Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran early on Wednesday morning, an attack that drew threats of revenge and fuelled further concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East conflict.
The Palestinian Islamist militant group and Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh's death. The Guards said it took place hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new president.
Haniyeh was killed by a missile that hit him "directly" in a state guesthouse where he was staying, a senior Hamas official told a news conference in Tehran.
Hamas' armed wing said in a statement Haniyeh's killing would "take the battle to new dimensions and have major repercussions". Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said it was Tehran's duty to avenge Haniyeh's death. Qatar, Syria, Russia, and Turkey also condemned Haniyeh's killing.
Washington expressed concern about the potential for escalation. But White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the US did not see that as imminent or inevitable and was working to prevent it from happening. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in Singapore, said a ceasefire deal in Gaza was key to avoiding wider regional escalation.