Iran Defends October 1 Attack by Citing Israel's Admission of Assassination
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Tehran, Dec 25 (NationPress) Iran's representative to the United Nations (UN) has asserted that Israel's 'clear admission' to the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil serves as a justification for Tehran's military actions against Israel on October 1.
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's Permanent Representative to the UN, articulated these views in a letter directed to the UN Security Council in response to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz's admission, which marked the first instance of Israel acknowledging the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran, as reported by Xinhua news agency and Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.
On July 31, Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed following an assault on their residence in Tehran. Both Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of orchestrating the assassination.
In retaliation for the assassinations of significant resistance figures, including Haniyeh, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and senior Iranian commander Abbas Nilforoushan, Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1.
During a recent event organized by the Defence Ministry, Katz also issued threats to Houthi forces in Yemen following their drone assaults, which were intercepted by Israeli air defense systems. Katz proclaimed, 'We will strike the Houthis hard, target their strategic infrastructure, and decapitate their leaders -- just as we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar, and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza, and Lebanon.'
According to a statement released by the IRGC's official news outlet, Sepah News, Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed when their dwelling was attacked in Tehran. The statement indicated that the incident is under investigation, with results to be disclosed later.
As reported by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency on July 31, Haniyeh was assassinated around 2 am local time after a 'projectile' struck his residence in Tehran. The Islamic Hamas movement confirmed the death of its leader, stating that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli assault within Iran.
In a press release, Hamas expressed profound sorrow, stating that it 'mourns for the Palestinian people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and the freedom-loving individuals worldwide' following Haniyeh's death. He had been in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on July 30 and was also slated to discuss political and field developments regarding the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict in Gaza.
The Israeli military has previously taken responsibility for the deaths of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in southern Gaza and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in the southern suburb of Dahieh in Beirut.
