Israel is on a high state of alert after Iran vows to avenge the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Iran had said Haniyeh “was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran”. Here's how the conflict may impact India, the US and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu.
Akriti Anand
Published1 Aug 2024, 11:02 PM IST
Men carry a portrait of slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh as well as a torn poster of the Israeli prime minister and minister of national security, during a protest to denounce the Palestinian leader’s killing in Rabat on July 31, 2024.(AFP)
Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran on July 31, in a strike blamed on Israel. Iran vowed revenge on Israel for Haniyeh's "blood as he was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran". Haniyeh was killed just hours after a top Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, was assassinated in Beirut.
A day later (on August 1), Israel Defense Forces confirmed the death of Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, who is believed to be the mastermind of the 7 October attack in Israel which triggered the Gaza war. Deif was killed in Gaza on July 13.
Hezbollah and Hamas are key allies of Iran. While Hamas dominates Gaza, Hezbollah has a presence in Lebanon.
Several Muslim countries and other nations condemned the assassination of Haniyeh. While Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blamed Israel and said it was “our duty to seek revenge for his blood", Pakistan said the killing of Hamas's political leader was a "reckless act".
Meanwhile, China strongly opposed Haniyeh's assassination, saying it was “deeply concerned” that the incident could lead to further turmoil in the region. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was quoted by AFP as saying, “It is a completely unacceptable political assassination...”
Also Read | Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in an attack on his residence in Iran
At the same time, countries like the United States called for de-escalation. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on “all parties” in the Middle East to “stop escalatory actions.” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani asked, "How can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?"
Should India worry?
As the world remains divided, India has not yet responded to the killing of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. The Indian Express reported that India will be careful in framing its response as the issue involves a targeted assassination on foreign soil.