Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered Iranian forces to retaliate against Israel for the strike that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Breitbart reported. The so-called "Supreme Leader" was assassinated in Tehran Wednesday.
Khamenei ordered the counterattack shortly after the political leader was killed in Iran's capital city. Three Iranian officials wishing to remain anonymous informed the New York Times about the order against the embattled nation.
In April, Iran launched more than 300 missiles that were taken out by Israel's Iron Dome defense system. Israel has not taken credit for the latest strike but notably took out the second-in-command of Hezbollah in Beirut just the day before.
The world is bracing for the possibility of escalation into an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah. Some airlines in the U.S. have canceled service to Israel, while other nations are encouraging citizens to leave Lebanon.
Initial reports incorrectly identified the attack as an airstrike. However, a later Fox News report said that Haniyeh was killed by an explosive device that had been planted two months before Haniyeh arrived at the guesthouse where the attack occurred.
The leader was in Tehran as a guest for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's swearing-in on Tuesday. At around 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday, the bomb was detonated remotely in the guesthouse Haniyeh was occupying.
The device killed the leader and a bodyguard who was in the vicinity. The building, located in the northern part of Tehran, was protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and was used for dignitaries.
There's no word on how the device was planted and concealed all of this time. This is a black mark on the Guard as it was supposed to be a secure location and was used at times for its secret meetings.
Both Hamas and Iran are blaming Israel despite any concrete link to the Jewish State. This comes as tensions continue to rise in the region following the attack on Israel and subsequent counterstrikes against Hamas.
The State Department has yet to issue a formal statement on the matter. However, when asked about the bombing, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied American involvement.
"And what I can tell you is this. First, this is something we were not aware of or involved in," Blinken told the press.
"It’s very hard to speculate, and I’ve learned over many years never to speculate on the impact one event may have on something else. So I can’t tell you what this means," Blinken added.
"I can tell you that the imperative of getting a ceasefire, the importance that has for everyone, remains," Blinken said, using a phrase that typically means Israel must stand down while it's under attack. It's unclear when Iran's counterstrike could happen, if at all.
The world is closer to the brink of war than it has been for decades. The next move from any parties involved could be the catalyst for a serious worldwide conflict.
