Hamas top leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, casualties in Gaza

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has shared a video on social media urging Australians to leave Lebanon immediately.

“My message to Australian citizens and residents in Lebanon is now is the time to leave,” Wong said in the message.

“There is a real risk that the conflict in the region escalates seriously,” she stated, adding that Australia is “working with partners in the region to push for restraint and de-escalation.”

Australia is home to more than 248,000 people with Lebanese ancestry, one of the largest populations of Lebanese people outside of Lebanon.

My message to Australian citizens and residents in Lebanon is now is the time to leave. pic.twitter.com/74DNfh1UNz

— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) July 31, 2024

Feda Abdelhady Nasser, the deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, told the Security Council that “Israel has been the oppressor, tormentor, and murderer of Palestinians for decades, and it is the longstanding destabilizer of our region.”

“We demand accountability for Israel’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, as we have continually demanded accountability for the wanton murder and injury of over 130,000 Palestinian children, women, and men across these past 300 days of horror and hell in Gaza,” she said.

“We demand accountability for Israel’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, as we have continually demanded accountability for the wanton murder and injury of over 130,000 Palestinian children, women and men across these past 300 days of horror and hell in Gaza and call for… pic.twitter.com/Jvig7VYH3J

— State of Palestine (@Palestine_UN) July 31, 2024

The Wafa news agency is reporting that the Israeli military has shelled a vehicle at the entrance to the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least eight people and injuring others.

Lebanon’s Charges d’Affaires for the UN, Hadi Hachem, has warned the UNSC that a conflict in the Middle East would have global repercussions, Al Jazeera reports.

He stated that while the exact circumstances behind the attack on Majdal Shams were still unknown, it could have occurred because “Israel has occupied the area since 1967” and has failed to implement numerous UN resolutions calling for it to withdraw from the Golan Heights and other occupied territories.

“Israel’s claim that it seeks to protect the population it occupies is a display of hypocrisy,” Hachem said.

“The real goal of Israel is to prolong and escalate the hostilities, and it is ironic that the killer of tens of thousands of children in Gaza sheds tears for the children of the occupied Syrian Golan.”

Hachem also urged the international community to prevent the outbreak of a regional conflict. “What starts in the Middle East will spread to the whole world,” he said

Feda Abdelhady Nasser, the deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, told the Security Council that “Israel has been the oppressor, tormentor and murderer of Palestinians for decades, and it is the longstanding destabiliser of our region.”

“It must be stopped,” she stated. “We call once again with utmost urgency on the Security Council, General Assembly, and all law-abiding, peace-loving nations to act forthwith to bring a halt to the horrific, criminal Israeli aggressions against the Palestinian people and our region.”

Nasser demanded accountability for the killing of Haniyeh and for the “murder and injury of over 130,000 Palestinian children, women and men across these past 300 days of horror and hell in Gaza.”

“The international community has a choice to make – let it be for peace and security, do not let Israel drag us all to the abyss,” she added.

United Nations Security Council countries on Wednesday called for stepped-up diplomatic efforts to avert a wider Middle East conflict after the killings of two militant leaders raised tensions.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran early on Wednesday, sparking threats of revenge against Israel and fueling concern the Gaza conflict was turning into a wider Middle East war.

The assassination occurred less than 24 hours after Hezbollah's most senior military commander was killed in an Israeli strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut in retaliation for a deadly rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

"We fear the region is at the brink of all-out war," Japan's deputy U.N. representative, Shino Mitsuko, said on Wednesday, urging international efforts to prevent such a conflict.

China, Russia, Algeria and others condemned Haniyeh's assassination, which Iran's U.N. ambassador called an act of terrorism, while the U.S., U.K. and France raised what they said was Iranian support for destabilising actors in the region.

Thousands of Jordanians gathered on Wednesday evening in Kalouti Mosque Square near Israel's embassy in the capital, Amman, to denounce the assassination of the head Ismail Haniyeh.

Participants in the protest,, chanted for the martyred leader and the resistance, demanding vengeance for his blood and "the blood of the martyrs".

Slogans chanted by the protesters included "Let the voice of youth rise... America is the head of terrorism", "For those who ask who we are... we are the Qassam Brigades" and "The people want... the downfall of Wadi Araba", referring to Jordan's peace accord with Israel.

The semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr reported that Iranian military advisor Milad Beidi "was martyred in the Israeli attack on the suburb in Beirut last Tuesday evening."

The agency added that the Iranian military advisor was present near the building where Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr was located.

Hezbollah on Wednesday mourned its top commander Fuad Shukr, whose body was recovered from the rubble of an Israeli strike in south Beirut, as fears mounted of a wider conflict.

Shukr will be buried on Thursday and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah will speak at his funeral to outline the Iran-backed movement's position, the group said in a statement.

Shukr was "martyred on the road to Jerusalem", Hezbollah said, using a phrase referring to fighters killed by Israel, and described him as one of the "major symbols of the resistance" against Israel.

Tuesday's raid on the Beirut suburb, an overcrowded residential area that is a Hezbollah bastion, also killed five civilians -- three women and two children -- and injured dozens, according to Lebanon's health ministry.

The German foreign ministry has called for restraint, urging all parties, “especially Iran,” to “de-escalate for the sake of the people in the region.”

“In this tense situation, any decision can either ease tensions or escalate the conflict,” it stated on X.

While condemning the attacks by Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the “terrorist organisation Hamas,” which “carries out countless cruel attacks on Israel,” it did not mention Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza or ceasefire negotiations.

This is typical of Germany, which many have noted is biased towards Israel.

The office also advised all its citizens to leave Lebanon “while it is still possible,” given the current circumstances.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed in a phone call with acting Iranian Foreign Minister Bagheri Kani the repercussions of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's "assassination," Qatar's state news agency reported on Wednesday.

The US is urging its citizens not to travel to Lebanon, citing rising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, following an Israeli strike on Beirut that killed a senior commander of the group, as well as at least five civilians.

The US State Department raised its travel advisory to Lebanon to level four, which says “Do Not Travel

Al Jazeera condemned the Wednesday killing of two of its journalists in an Israeli strike on Gaza, calling the deaths a "cold-blooded assassination" in a statement.

The Qatar-based news outlet said its Arabic channel correspondent Ismail Al Ghoul and cameraman Rami Al Rifi were "targeted by Israeli occupation forces" during their coverage of Gaza's Al-Shati refugee camp.

"This latest attack on Al Jazeera journalists is part of a systematic targeting campaign against the network's journalists and their families since October 2023," Al Jazeera added.

Since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, Al Jazeera has aired continuous on-the-ground reporting on the effects of Israel's campaign.

The network's office in Gaza has already been bombed in the conflict and two other correspondents killed.

Al Jazeera said Ghoul and Rifi's killings showed "the urgent need for immediate legal action against the occupation forces".

The channel said it would "pursue all legal actions to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes and stands in unwavering solidarity with all journalists in Gaza".

You can read more about the killings below. 

Israel will respond forcefully to any attack on it, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday, after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and of a senior Hezbollah leader in Beirut.

Netanyahu said Israel had delivered crushing blows to Iran's proxies over the past few days, including Hamas and Hezbollah. But he did not mention Haniyeh's killing, which has drawn threats of revenge on Israel and fuelled further concern that the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war.

"Citizens of Israel, challenging days lie ahead. Since the strike in Beirut there are threats sounding from all directions. We are prepared for any scenario and we will stand united and determined against any threat. Israel will exact a heavy price for any aggression against us from any arena," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Israel's military announced late on Tuesday it had killed Fuad Shukr, whom it named as Hezbollah's most senior commander and whom it blamed for an attack at the weekend that left a dozen youngsters dead in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Shukr was an adviser to Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, according to Hezbollah sources and to Israeli officials.

Iran-backed Hezbollah confirmed his death on Wednesday, hours after the Palestinian armed group Hamas announced its leader, Haniyeh, had been assassinated in Teheran.

Hezbollah has confirmed the death of Fouad Shukr, a senior military figure within its organisation, in an official statement on its Telegram channel.

Shukr was assassinated by Israel yesterday in an air strike on Beirut’s Haret Hreik neighborhood, which killed at least five people and injured dozens.

Israel blames Shukr for an attack on the occupied Golan Heights over the weekend that killed 12 children and teenagers, and stated that his targeting was in response to this attack. Hezbollah denies any responsibility. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday denounced strikes on Beirut and Tehran as a "dangerous escalation," after Israel targeted a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas said its political chief was killed in Iran.

"The scretary-general believes that the attacks we have seen in South Beirut and Tehran represent a dangerous escalation at a moment in which all efforts should instead be leading to a ceasefire in Gaza" and "the release of all Israeli hostages," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The UN Security Council will convene an emergency meeting later today following the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in an air strike on Iran’s capital, according to the Russian presidency of the council.

The meeting, requested by Iran and supported by representatives from Russia, China, and Algeria, is set for 20:00 GMT, stated a spokesperson for the Russian presidency, which currently holds the rotating leadership of the council.

Lebanon's caretaker minister of health, Firas Al-Abyad, chaired a meeting of directors and heads of boards of hospitals in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, with the aim of re-emphasising the necessity of adhering to the country's emergency plan, developed to deal with any health repercussions in case of an Israeli escalation against Lebanon.

Al-Abyad confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "the Ministry is continuing to care for the wounded on the basis of what was approved by the government, amounting to one thousand billion Lebanese pounds, equivalent to eleven million dollars".

He said that "the two emergency operations rooms are continuing to work to keep pace with any possible escalation, with the first working in the Ministry of Health".

Ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel have likely plunged into uncertainty after Israel killed the group's top chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in an assassination attack in Tehran, Iran, as well as a strike on southern Beirut killing Hezbollah "second man" Fuad Shukr.

Qatar, one of the key mediator countries, has questioned the "viability"  of any talks.

Read more here from The New Arab.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu will deliver a televised speech on Wednesday evening, an official statement said.

Jordan's flag carrier Royal Jordanian will resume flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut starting on Thursday at dawn, the Jordanian state news agency reported, following the airline's suspension of flights on Monday.

Air France and low-cost carrier Transavia France said Wednesday their flights between Paris and Beirut would remain suspended till the weekend due to the "security situation" in Lebanon.

The two airlines had planned to resume flights on Wednesday, but said they will now remain grounded until Saturday.

"The resumption of operations will be subject to a new assessment of the local situation," an Air France statement said.

Both carriers stopped servicing the route on Monday, a day after Israel vowed to retaliate following rocket fire it blamed on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah that killed 12 people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The rocket attack on the Golan sparked fears that fighting between Hezbollah and Israel would escalate.

The body of Fuad Shukr, the Hezbollah military commander targeted by a strike in Beirut on Wednesday, has been found, Reuters is reporting.

Khalil Al-Hayya, the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, told The New Arab's Arabic-language site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed in a press conference in Tehran that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh will "only increase Hamas’ determination" in its positions on resistance and the Palestinian people, adding that his movement has no choice but to continue.

Al-Hayya confirmed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the "Palestinian resistance is at the heart of the battle with the Zionist enemy" and is "managing it with steadfastness and will not be affected by the martyrdom of the leaders".

The deputy added that Israel "violated all rules, charters and customs by assassinating Haniyeh", and will "receive a harsh response".

The European Union on Wednesday urged all sides to avoid escalation after Hamas said its political leader Ismail Haniyeh had been killed by an Israeli strike on Iran's capital.

"We call on all parties to exert maximum restraint and avoid any further escalation," EU spokesman Peter Stano said. "No country and no nation stand to gain from a further escalation in the Middle East."

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that polio had been detected in Gaza and warned that children in the war-ravaged enclave would soon be infected by the disease if preventative measures were not quickly taken.

A day after the WHO said there were "very likely" polio cases among Gaza's population, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took to social media platform X to flag concern about the human cost of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"The detection of polio in Gaza is another reminder of the dire conditions the population is facing," Tedros wrote on X. "The persistence of the conflict hampers efforts to identify and respond to preventable threats such as polio."

Tedros linked his post to an article he had written in French newspaper Le Monde, published late on Tuesday, in which he said poliovirus has been detected in sewage samples in Gaza.

In the article, the WHO chief wrote that although no cases of polio had yet been recorded, "unless immediate action is taken, it is only a matter of time before the disease reaches the thousands of unprotected children" there.

Poliomyelitis, which is spread mainly through the faecal-oral route, is a highly infectious virus that can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis and death in young children.

La détection de la #polio à #Gaza est un autre rappel des conditions désastreuses auxquelles la population est confrontée. La persistance du conflit entrave les efforts visant à identifier et à répondre aux menaces évitables comme la polio.

Le monde regarde. Mais quand va-t-il…

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) July 31, 2024

Two Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza, the Qatar-based channel reported on Wednesday as Israel's war in Gaza rages.

"Al Jazeera Arabic journalist Ismail al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Refee have been killed in an Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip," the network reported adding the strike "targeted a car near the Aidia area, west of Gaza City".

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of our colleague journalist, Ismail Al-Ghoul, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike while courageously covering the events in northern Gaza. Ismail was renowned for his professionalism and dedication, bringing the world’s attention… pic.twitter.com/g9YInFpuz8

— Mohamed Moawad (@moawady) July 31, 2024

Palestinians detained by Israel during the brutal Gaza war have largely been held in secret and in some cases subjected to treatment that may amount to torture, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Since the start of Israel's war in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians - including medics, patients, residents and captured fighters - have been taken from the war-hit enclave to Israel, "usually shackled and blindfolded", the OHCHR UN human rights office said in a report.

"They have generally been held in secret, without being given a reason for their detention, access to a lawyer or effective judicial review," OHCHR said.

Hamas and Iran don't want a regional war, but there is a crime that should be punished, Hamas deputy chief in Gaza Khalil Al-Hayya said in a press conference in Tehran after the killing of the Palestinian militant group's chief Ismail Haniyeh.

Ismail Haniyeh's killing is the latest in a series of assassination attacks on Hamas affiliates by Israel.

The New Arab takes a look at Israel's history of assassination attempts on the Palestinian group. Read more here.

The United States sanctioned two people and four firms on Wednesday for facilitating the procurement of weapons on behalf of Yemen's Huthi rebels.

The group began launching attacks on ships in the Red Sea following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, forcing many shipping companies to alter their routes and triggering retaliatory strikes by the United States and its allies.

Wednesday's sanctions targeted "procurement operatives, shipment facilitators and suppliers" based in Yemen and China who sourced dual-use equipment for use in the Huthi's advanced weapons systems, the Treasury Department said in a statement.

It said that those sanctioned had "directly supported" the Yemeni rebels' efforts to procure "military-grade materials abroad," which were then shipped to Huthi-controlled areas of Yemen, enabling their ongoing attacks.

The Huthis "have sought to exploit key jurisdictions like the PRC (People's Republic of China) and Hong Kong in order to source and transport the components necessary for their deadly weapons systems," US Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Brian Nelson said.

Khaled Al-Qadoumi, the representative of the Hamas movement in Tehran, told The New Arab's Arabic-language site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the assassination of Hamas chief Haniyeh was an "attack on Iran on its national day", as it coincided with the with the swearing-in of President Pezeshkian, where Haniyeh was a guest. 

Al-Qaddoumi added that Israel "bears responsibility for the consequences of Haniyeh’s assassination, which represents an attack on Hamas, Iran, and the axis of resistance".

Israel's foreign minister said on Wednesday that "all-out war" with Iran-backed Hezbollah could be prevented by the immediate implementation of a UN resolution that forbids armed groups in southern Lebanon from being near the frontier with Israel.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said he sent a letter to dozens of his counterparts calling for the implementation of UN resolution 1701, which was passed at the end of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The resolution stipulates that no armed factions should be present between Lebanon's Litani River and the border. The river is several kilometres (miles) from the border.

"Israel is not interested in an all-out war, but the only way to prevent it is the immediate implementation of Resolution 1701," Katz wrote in the letter.

British foreign minister David Lammy and defence minister John Healey have travelled to Qatar to help drive efforts to end the conflict in Gaza and call for de-escalation in the wider region, the British government said on Wednesday.

"It is absolutely vital that we engage closely with partners like Qatar, who play a key role in mediating the conflict in Gaza, so that we can bring this devastating war to an end," Lammy said in a statement. 

The UK and Qatar share a commitment to regional stability, security, defence and driving growth.

Qatar plays a key role in mediating the conflict in Gaza, so it’s absolutely vital we work together to push for peace.

I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with HH… pic.twitter.com/fenks5IOSY

— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 31, 2024

A tent was set up to receive condolences in Beirut's Ghobeiri for the two children who were killed in Israel's strike on the southern suburb of the city late on Tuesday.

The siblings, Hassan and Amira, 10 and 6 years old, were found dead in the rubble of their apartment , their father and their 12-year-old brother were injured and are currently in hospitalised.

The children's mother said they had died "hugging each other".

Hassan's football coach, Hussein Jaber told local media that the boy "was creative and obedient", adding that "he had been playing football for two years and had a bright future, I can't say anything more."

A medical source at the hospital were their brother was getting treatment told local media that the boy was mainly "in shock" and that his burns were "serious". Another source said the boy had not yet learnt of the killing of his brother and sister.

Tuesday's strike killed four people so far, two women and two children. Emergency services were working to remove the rubble. It is likely that the death toll will go up.

At least 80 people were injured in the attack.

Israeli strikes killed at least eight Palestinians were killed today in the town of Az-Zawayda in the central Gaza Strip.

A drone reportedly targeted a group of civilians near an electricity company in the Az-Zawayda area, the Palestinian news agency Wafa said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed in an official statement that Haniyeh's assassination "reflects the impasse in the policies of the Zionist entity," stressing that Tehran "will defend the integrity of its lands and national sovereignty and will not give them up".

Pezeshkian said Israel "will soon witness the results of its cowardly and terrorist action".

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Turkey on August 14-15, the Turkish presidency said on Wednesday.

Abbas will meet President Tayyip Erdogan on August 14 and address parliament on August 15, the presidency's communications director Fahrettin Altun said on social media platform X.

Filistin Devlet Başkanı Sayın Mahmut Abbas, 14-15 Ağustos’ta ülkemize bir ziyarette bulunacaktır.

14 Ağustos Çarşamba günü Cumhurbaşkanımız Sayın Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ile görüşecek olan Sayın Abbas, 15 Ağustos Perşembe günü Gazi Meclisimizin Genel Kuruluna hitap edecektir.

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) July 31, 2024

Qatar's foreign ministry said Doha officials are are in discussion US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, pledging to "continue work over ceasefire deal".

An Israeli government spokesman declined to comment on the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in the early hours of Wednesday.

"We are not commenting on that particular incident," spokesman David Mencer told a briefing with journalists.

The spokesperson added that Israel is still "committed to a ceasefire deal" and wants to "a hostage deal to succeed".

Additionally, he said that Israel "is expecting an Iranian retaliatory attack".

Killing of assassination of Ismail Haniyeh will 'only make Hamas stronger', writes Emad Moussa.

Read the full article here.

Iran said on Wednesday that the United States bears responsibility in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran because of its support for Israel. 

The head of the Houthi Supreme Political Council (SPC), Mahdi al-Mashat, has announced a three-day mourning period over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Mashat condemned Israel for the killing of Haniyeh, saying it "represents a great loss for the Palestinian people and the entire Islamic nation", in a statement.

The head of the SPC also called for "unity and solidarity among all resistance factions to confront the challenges facing the nation", stressing that "the Yemeni people will continue to support the Palestinian cause until victory is achieved".

Iraqi armed faction Kataib Hezbollah said the Israeli killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran "broke all rules of engagement," in a statement on its official Telegram account on Wednesday.

Ismail Haniyeh, killed by airstrike in Tehran, was refugee, Arabic teacher and later Hamas member before becoming the group's political bureau chief. 

Read more about Haniyeh here.

The health ministry in Gaza said on Wednesday that at least 39,445 people have been killed in almost 10 months of war between Israel and Palestinian militants.

The toll includes 45 deaths in 24 hours, according to ministry figures, which also list 91,073 people as having been wounded in the Gaza Strip since Israel's war in Gaza began on October 7.

Iraq on Wednesday condemned the killing in Tehran of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, warning that it threatens the region's stability.

Iraq's foreign ministry in a statement described the killing as a "flagrant violation of international law and a threat to security and stability in the region".

The Al-Nujaba movement, part of a pro-Iran alliance in Iraq, said "the Zionists and Americans have opened the doors of hell" following the killing if Haniyeh, the targeting of a Hezbollah commander in Beirut, and a US strike on pro-Iran combatants in Iraq.

These "assassinations... will not deter us, but strengthen our determination", it added.

In recent months, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of pro-Iran groups including Al-Nujaba, has claimed to have targeted Israel with drone and rocket strikes against targets.

The Israeli army, without naming an attacker, has confirmed several aerial attacks from the east since April, but has said they were all intercepted before entering its airspace.

Egypt said on Wednesday that Israeli escalation indicated a lack of political will from Israel for de-escalation, after the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

A statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said this escalation, along with making no progress in Gaza ceasefire talks, was complicating the situation. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that a ceasefire in Gaza was "imperative" after the killing of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

Blinken refused to comment directly on the killing of Haniyeh but said at a forum in Singapore that reaching a ceasefire in Gaza "is the enduring imperative".

"We've been working from day one not only to try to get to a better place in Gaza but also to prevent the conflict from spreading, whether it's the north with Lebanon and Hezbollah, whether it's the Red Sea with the Houthis, whether it's Iran, Syria, Iraq, you name it," Blinken said.

"A big key to trying to make sure that that doesn't happen, and that we can move to a better place, is getting the ceasefire."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that the United States was "not aware of or involved in" the killing of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

"This is something we were not aware of or involved in," Blinken said, according to a transcript shared by his staff from an interview with Channel News Asia in Singapore.

Lebanon's information minister, Ziad Makary, has said that Hezbollah is expected to retaliate against the Israeli strike that targeted the group's senior commander.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting to discuss the previous evening's strike on a Beirut suburb, Makary said the cabinet is worried that the situation could spiral.

He says a plan is in place in case of a large-scale displacement of people in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, in Beirut, efforts to clear the rubble and debris resulting from the attack continue.

Khaled Qaddoumi, Hamas's representative in Iran, highlighted that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh came as part of an attack on Iran as it marked the swearing-in of its President Masoud Pezeshkian.

In comments to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Qaddoumi said that Haniyeh was a victim of Israeli "criminality", which has disregard for international law.

He said that the attack was an assassination of an official and diplomatic guest of a sovereign UN member state, a blatant violation of all international rules, laws and norms.

He also noted that Haniyeh's aide, Wasim Abu Shaban, was also killed in the "cowardly" operation, which was an "attack on Hamas, Iran and the Axis of Resistance".

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called the head of Hamas's political bureau abroad, Khaled Meshaal, to offer condolences after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.

According to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, Abbas expressed "heartfelt condolences" in a phone call with Meshaal.

Abbas also declared a day of mourning in the West Bank.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said that the attack in Beirut that targeted senior Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr on Tuesday was a "precise" and "limited" operation.

Speaking to Israeli forces during a field tour, he said his country does "not want war" but it was "preparing for all possibilities". 

An Israeli strike hit a building in the southern Beirut suburb, killing at least three people, including two children.

Hezbollah has not yet confirmed Shukr's death but said that he was in a building that was hit at the time.

Israel has been offering a $5m (3.9m) reward for information about him, alleging he also played a "central role" in the 1983 bombing of a US Marines barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 US military personnel.

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Wednesday cast doubt over the success of future mediation between Israel and Hamas following the killing of the Palestinian group's political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

"Political assassinations & continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on other side? Peace needs serious partners," Sheikh Mohammed, who has led Qatar's mediation efforts, wrote on X.

Qatar, which hosts Hamas's political leadership that included Haniyeh, has been involved in months of back-and-forth talks to mediate an end to the war in Gaza, alongside Egypt with US support.

Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar's foreign ministry condemned the Hamas political chief's assassination, describing it as a "heinous crime" and "dangerous escalation", adding that it was "a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law".

The foreign ministry said "this assassination and the reckless Israeli behaviour of continuously targeting civilians in Gaza will lead to the region slipping into chaos and undermine the chances of peace".

"The ministry reiterates the State of Qatar's firm position rejecting violence, terrorism and criminal acts, including political assassinations, regardless of the motives and reasons," it added.

Qatar has hosted Hamas's political bureau with the blessing of the United States since 2012 following the Palestinian group's closure of its office in Damascus.

Iranian media said the strike that killed Haniyeh took place at around 2:00 am (2230 GMT), targeting "the special residences for war veterans in north Tehran" where he was staying.

Haniyeh had travelled to Tehran to attend Tuesday's swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Israeli army declined to comment on the killing.

Assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh to be buried in Doha, Qatar on Friday after Tehran funeral ceremony: statement.

Pakistan said on Wednesday the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in neighbouring Iran was a "reckless act", describing his assassination in an air strike blamed on Israel as "terrorism".

"Pakistan views with serious concern the growing Israeli adventurism in the region. Its latest acts constitute a dangerous escalation in an already volatile region and undermine efforts for peace," Islamabad's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Russia on Wednesday condemned the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas, warning it could trigger a fresh round of escalation in the Middle East.

Hamas on Wednesday said that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike on his residence in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

"It is a completely unacceptable political assassination, and this will lead to a further escalation of tensions," Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikhail Bogdanov told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed Haniyeh to Moscow in September 2022 for discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Moscow for years sought warm relations with most major countries and forces in the Middle East, but since the Gaza war started with the Hamas October 7 strikes it has drifted towards Hamas and Iran and away from Israel.

"There is no doubt that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh will have an extremely negative impact on mediated contacts between Hamas and Israel," Russia's foreign ministry said in a separate statement.

"The organisers of this political assassination were aware of the dangerous consequences for the entire region," it added.

The foreign ministry called on all sides to exercise restraint and avoid further steps "that could lead to a dramatic deterioration in the region's security and provoke a large-scale armed confrontation."

Iran declared on Wednesday three days of mourning following the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in an attack blamed on arch-foe Israel.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran announced three days of public mourning following the martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh," the government said in a statement.

More than 39,445 Palestinians have been killed and 91,073 have been injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Hamas's armed wing said Wednesday that the killing of its political leader Ismail Haniyeh takes the war with Israel to a "new levels," warning of repercussions for the entire region.

"This assassination ... takes the war to new levels and will have enormous consequences for the entire region," the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, whose fighters are engaged in fierce battles with Israeli troops in Gaza, said in a statement.

The killing of Hamas's political leader in an air strike in Tehran is a "heinous terrorist crime", Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels said on Wednesday.

Hamas said Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration of the country's new president.

"Targeting him is a heinous terrorist crime and a flagrant violation of laws and ideal values," Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, posted on X.

The Yemeni rebels have been launching drones and missiles at shipping in the Red Sea since November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war.

Earlier this month, a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv prompted Israeli air strikes on Hodeida, impoverished Yemen's lifeline port, that killed nine people and triggered a massive

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday he was "deeply saddened" to hear that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh had been "martyred", adding that he had become a symbol of Palestinian resistance.

"He had devoted his life to the Palestinian cause, and to bringing peace and tranquility to Palestine," Fidan said on social media platform X, sharing a photograph of himself and Haniyeh.

Regarding the Assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh https://t.co/JLSQxGmny2 pic.twitter.com/yQdphlseQp

— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) July 31, 2024

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "harsh punishment" for Israel after the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday.

"With this action, the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground for harsh punishment for itself, and we consider it our duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said in a statement carried by official news agency IRNA.

Iran will "defend its territorial integrity, dignity, honor, and pride, and will make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly act" of assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday.

He did not elaborate in his statement that was carried by Iranian media.

Lebanon expects Hezbollah to retaliate for an Israeli strike that targeted the armed group's most senior military commander, and the government will engage in diplomatic efforts to calm tensions, Information Minister Ziad Makary said on Wednesday

Speaking after a cabinet meeting to discuss the previous evening's strike on a Beirut suburb, Makary said the cabinet is worried that the situation could spiral.

Afghanistan's Taliban government said Wednesday the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in neighbouring Iran was "a great loss", hailing him as "an intelligent and resourceful Palestinian leader".

"He was successful and left the lessons of resistance, sacrifice, patience, tolerance, struggle and practical sacrifice to his followers," Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed Wednesday to make Israel "regret" the "cowardly" killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honour, pride and dignity, and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly action," said Pezeshkian in a post on X where he mourned Haniyeh as "a brave leader".

The Chinese foreign ministry said that it "strongly opposes and condemns the assassination of the chief of the political bureau of the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas Ismail Haniyeh".

"With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Mr. Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred," the statement read.

The National and Islamic forces in Palestine have declared a general strike all across the West Bank, condemning the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

In a statement to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the New Arab's Arabic-language site, officials said: "The assassination of Haniyeh comes within the framework of the Zionist state’s terrorism and the war of extermination, destruction and killing, with the inability of the international community to stop the war and hold the occupation accountable for its crimes."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on 31 July condemned Israel over the "heinous" assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, expressing condolences to the Palestinian people.

"We condemn the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Chief of the Hamas Political Bureau, in a heinous attack in Tehran," the ministry said in a written statement on its website.

"We express our condolences to the Palestinian people, hundreds of thousands of whom, like Haniyeh, have been martyred in order to live peacefully in their homeland under the roof of their own state," it added.

"The Netanyahu Government's lack of intention to achieve peace has been demonstrated once again," the ministry said, adding that the assassination "aimed at spreading the war in Gaza to a regional level".

"If the international community does not act to stop Israel, our region will face an even greater conflict," it said

Mohsen Rezaei, member of the Expediency Council and former IRGC commander-in-chief, says Israel will "pay a great price" for Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination.

"I offer my condolences for the martyrdom of the free man, believer and proud leader of the Palestinian nation, Ismail Haniyeh…," he said.

"This martyrdom is more proof of the despicableness of the criminal gang of Tel Aviv, from the killing of Palestinian women, children and elderly and trampling human rights to violating the legal boundaries of countries and international laws in the assassination of the popular leaders of nations.

"How stupid are they who think that this kind of despicable display of power can compensate for their weakness and helplessness in the heroic confrontation of the brave and undefeatable children of Palestine. Israel will pay a great price," he said.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry has condemned the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday, and issued a statement which read: "The assassination of Haniyeh is a heinous crime, a dangerous escalation, and a blatant violation of international and humanitarian law."

The Palestinian government has condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Chief of the Political Bureau of Hamas and former Palestinian Prime Minister, describing it as a "treacherous act."

In a press statement, the Palestinian government called on all factions, forces, and the Palestinian people to unite and show resilience in the face of occupation and its crimes.

The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan issued a statement on Wednesday, expressing that they consider Ismail Haniyeh, the Chief of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, a martyr in the eyes of God. The statement described his death as a result of a "cowardly Zionist terrorist operation."

The group condemned the act as an "abhorrent terrorist crime," calling it a desperate attempt by the Zionist forces to claim a false victory after a prolonged military failure in Gaza for over ten months. The statement added, "This cowardly act will not change the facts on the ground but will only hasten the disgrace and defeat of the mercenaries of the fascist Zionist army in the proud land of Gaza."

The group emphasized that the blood of Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard, mingled with the blood of thousands of martyrs in Gaza, will be a curse on the occupiers and their allies, and a beacon on the path to liberation, God willing, and will fuel the flame of jihad and resistance.

Hamas is closely linked to the Muslim Brotherhood

In Beirut, Hezbollah confirmed that Fuad Shukr, a senior military advisor, was present in the building hit by an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb on Tuesday night. The group has not yet disclosed Shukr's condition, despite Israeli military claims that they had successfully assassinated him.

In a statement, Hezbollah said, "As is well known, the Zionist enemy attacked the southern suburb of Beirut yesterday, targeting a residential building. The attack led to the deaths of several citizens, injuries to others, and significant damage to multiple floors of the building. The senior jihadist commander, Brother Fuad Shukr (Hajj Mohsen), was in the building at the time."

The statement added, "Civil defence teams have been working diligently to clear the rubble, but progress has been slow due to the condition of the destroyed floors. We are still waiting for the outcome regarding the fate of the esteemed leader and other citizens present at the site, to proceed accordingly."

Preliminary reports indicate that four Lebanese civilians, including two child siblings, were killed, and 74 people were injured in the Israeli airstrike on the southern suburb of Beirut. 

The Lebanesecabinet is currently holding a session at the Grand Serail to address the urgent security situation, with plans to file a complaint with the United Nations following the Israeli strike.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the attack, stating, "This criminal act is part of a series of aggressive operations targeting civilians, in clear and blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. We call on the international community to take responsibility and exert maximum pressure to compel Israel to stop its aggression and threats and to implement international resolutions."

He added, "We reserve the full right to take all necessary measures to deter Israeli aggression."