Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commander Hossein Salami announced on Monday that Israel will receive a crushing response to the assassination of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (agitationIsmail Haniyeh in Tehran.
“When Israel receives the blow at the right place and time, they will know that they miscalculated,” Salami said in a speech in Tehran on the occasion of Journalist Day.
He added, “The Zionist entity assassinated a struggling man who was demanding the rights of his people, and the entity will receive a crushing response.”
Yesterday, Sunday, Hojjat al-Islam Taeb, advisor to the commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards, said that the response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh would be “new and surprising.”
The head of Hamas's political bureau was assassinated before dawn last Wednesday at his residence in Tehran. Initial Iranian investigations concluded that the assassination was carried out by a short-range projectile, while the New York Times reported a story stating that an explosive device was used in the operation.
Discipline and deterrence
In conjunction with the Revolutionary Guards commander's statements, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that his country reserves the right to defend its national security and sovereignty in response to Israel's assassination of Ismail Haniyeh on its territory.
Kanaani added during a press conference at the Foreign Ministry headquarters that “Iran has the right to discipline the Zionist entity, deter it and stop its crimes,” stressing that the response will be within the framework of international laws and norms.
The Iranian spokesman also said that no one has the right to prevent Iran from responding to those who committed a violation against it, noting that his country does not need to send messages through intermediaries to the entity whose legitimacy it does not recognize.
Kanaani continued that Israel cannot carry out its adventures without coordination with the United States.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh was a “grave Zionist mistake that will not pass without a response.”
Israel on alert
Meanwhile, Israel appeared to be on high alert in anticipation of a possible Iranian strike that might coincide with attacks by Hezbollah, which in turn threatened Israel with retaliation for the assassination of leader Fouad Shukr about a week ago in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
According to Israeli media reports, the Iranian strike may be broader in scope than the one that targeted Israel last April in response to the targeting of the Tehran consulate in Damascus.
In the same context, the Walla website reported that the Israeli army is preparing for unprecedented attacks on its bases with drones and missiles, noting that the army is preparing for attacks on targets from the border area to Haifa and Tel Aviv and the destruction of infrastructure.
The website quoted Israeli sources as saying that a “disproportionate strike” by Tehran and the groups it supports in the region would lead to attacks on targets deep inside Iran, Yemen and Lebanon.
Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that security consultations held by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant ended yesterday evening, Sunday, regarding the response to the potential attack.
Netanyahu said that Israel is prepared defensively and offensively for every scenario, while Galant stated that Israel is ready to attack and defend on land, sea and air, saying that “the enemy will pay a heavy price if it decides to attack Israel,” according to his expression.
For its part, Israeli Channel 13 quoted sources as saying that estimates in Israel indicate that the potential attack may be multiple, with the participation of Hamas.
The channel's sources added that Israel is in contact with the United States and Western countries to ensure their participation in defending it during the attack.
In Washington, US President Joe Biden is expected to meet with his national security team on Monday to discuss developments in the Middle East.
The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier and several warships, including two destroyers, to the region, and on Sunday, John Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor, said that his country would defend Israel against any potential Iranian attack.