DUBAI: Senior Iranian officials will meet representatives of Iran's regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen on Thursday to discuss possible retaliation against Israel following the killing of a Hamas leader in Tehran, five sources told Reuters.
The region faces the risk of an escalating conflict between Israel, Iran and their allies following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday and the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander on Tuesday in an Israeli strike on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
Representatives of Hamas and Iran's Palestinian ally Islamic Jihad, as well as the Tehran-backed Houthis in Yemen, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi opposition groups will attend the meeting in Tehran, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
“Iran and members of the resistance movement will conduct a thorough assessment after the Tehran meeting to find the best and most effective way to counter the Zionist regime (Israel),” said a senior Iranian official with direct knowledge of the meeting.
Another Iranian official said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards will attend the ceremony.
“The response of Iran and the opposition is currently being reviewed … This will definitely happen and the Zionist regime (Israel) will definitely regret it,” Iran's military chief of staff, General Mohammad Bagheri, told state television on Thursday.
Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel for the attack that killed Haniyeh just hours after he was inaugurated as Iran's new president in Tehran on Wednesday.
However, Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility for the attack, sparking threats of retaliation against Israel and raising concerns that the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip could escalate into a full-scale war in the Middle East.
Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Barr said at a military graduation ceremony in Israel late Wednesday that Israel would take action against anyone who planned to harm its citizens.
“We are prepared for strong national defense. Hundreds of air defense soldiers and air controllers are stationed across the country with the best systems in place, ready to carry out the mission,” Bar said.
Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Naqala, as well as senior representatives of the Tehran-backed Houthi group in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon, attended the inauguration of Iran's new president in Tehran on Tuesday. Hezbollah deputy leader Naeem Qassim and parliamentarian Hassan Fadlallah were in Iran for the inauguration and remained there for the funeral and conference, sources familiar with Hezbollah's thinking said.
'Major impact'
The Hamas militant group said in a statement that Haniyeh's killing would “elevate the conflict to a new dimension and have serious consequences.” Iran has vowed to respond, saying the United States bears responsibility for supporting Israel.
“Iran has asked senior Iraqi opposition commanders to travel to Tehran on Wednesday for an urgent meeting to discuss the response to recent Israeli attacks, including in Lebanon, Iran and the US strikes in Iraq,” an Iraqi armed forces commander said.
Another armed forces source said the opposition commander had travelled to Haniyeh's funeral and to attend a “high-urgent meeting” to decide on the next steps in the response to Israel and the US.
Iranians mourned Haniyeh on Thursday, a day after he was assassinated.
“All opposition groups will avenge Haniyeh’s blood,” Ali Akbar Akhmadian, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.
The Iranian-backed opposition groups include Hamas, the Palestinian group that sparked the Gaza war with an Oct. 7 attack on Israel, as well as Lebanon's Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthis and various Shia militias in Iraq and Syria.
On April 13, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, claiming it was in retaliation for the April 1 attack on the Israeli embassy in Damascus, but Iran shot down nearly all of the missiles and drones.
“Iran's response to the assassination of martyr Haniyeh will be stronger than ever,” Esmail Kozari, a former senior Revolutionary Guards commander, told state television.
