The US ambassador to the UN, Robert Wood, has stated that the US was not aware of or involved in the apparent killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Wood urged UN security council members with influence over Iran to increase pressure on the country to stop escalating conflicts against Israel. He emphasized the importance of working together to reduce tensions in the region.
In response to Haniyeh’s assassination, Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkhian vowed to defend the country’s territorial integrity and make the attackers regret their actions. The choice of Tehran as the location of the attack, where Haniyeh was attending Pezeshkhian’s inauguration with other foreign delegations, has raised concerns about Iran’s ability to protect its allies.
Hamas has accused Israel of the attack and announced that Haniyeh’s funeral will be held in Tehran before his body is transferred to Doha for burial. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated that the US was not involved in the assassination. The killing of Haniyeh comes after Israel claimed to have killed Hezbollah’s top military commander, Fuad Shukur, in retaliation for a rocket attack.
International reactions to Haniyeh’s killing have been strong, with condemnation from Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian factions calling for a general strike, and countries like Qatar and Turkey denouncing the assassination. The incident has heightened tensions in the region and raised concerns about further escalation of conflict.
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