Iran is ready for a “severe and crushing” retaliation against Israel: Ali Shamkhani

TEHRAN: Iran has completed the “legal, diplomatic, and media” groundwork to launch a “severe and crushing” retaliation against Israel for the assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, announced Ali Shamkhani, a political advisor to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution and former secretary of Iran’s National Security Council.

In a post on X, Shamkhani stated that the Israeli regime only understands the “language of force.” He highlighted Israel’s recent attack on a school in Gaza that was sheltering hundreds of civilians, interpreting it as evidence that the Zionists are not serious about establishing peace in the conflict-ridden region.

“The only aim of Israel in killing worshippers at Tabeen School in Gaza and assassinating martyr Haniyeh in Iran is to provoke war and disrupt truce talks,” he said.

Haniyeh was assassinated in a Tehran residence on July 31, just hours after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has vowed to avenge the death of “Iran’s guest,” a promise that remains despite efforts by regional countries, at Washington’s request, to persuade Iran to refrain from retaliation.

The U.S. has also attempted to mitigate Iran’s anticipated response through propaganda campaigns. In recent days, several Western media outlets have circulated false information about the circumstances of Haniyeh’s assassination, attempting to portray military action against Israel as unjustified. Some reports have suggested divisions among Iranian officials on how the country should respond.

Another senior official affirming Iran’s resolve to retaliate on Saturday was Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) deputy commander. Speaking to Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen TV, Fadavi stated, “The Leader of the Revolution’s orders will be executed in the best possible way, and this is Iran’s current duty.” He also commented on the appointment of Yahya Sinwar as Haniyeh’s successor, saying it “shows that Hamas’ resistance will continue until the end.”

While it remains unclear how Iran will respond to Haniyeh’s assassination, some speculate that Lebanon’s Hezbollah might join Iran in its retaliation, especially after the group vowed to avenge the death of one of its senior military leaders, who was killed in a Beirut strike just hours before Haniyeh’s assassination.

Pundits also believe that Yemen’s Ansarullah movement could potentially open a third front against Israel, alongside Iran and Lebanon, as Sana’a has vowed to retaliate for an Israeli strike on Yemen’s al-Hudaydah port last month.

Reports indicate that Israelis are increasingly anxious and fearful of the anticipated retaliation by the Axis of Resistance.

Israeli media reports suggest that people are spending their nights in shelters, with some Zionist officials either leaving the occupied territories or staying in missile-proof facilities.